Synthesis of chaos theory & design

The design implications of chaos theory are explored. What does this theory mean, if anything, to landscape architecture or architecture? In order to investigate these questions, the research was divided into four components relevant to design. First, philosophical- chaos offers a nonlinear understanding about place and nature. Second, aesthetical-fractals describe a deep beauty and order in nature. Thirdly, modeling-it is a qualitative method of modeling natural processes. Lastly, managing- concepts of chaos theory can be exploited to mimic processes found in nature. These components draw from applications and selected literature of chaos theory. From these research components, design implications were organized and concluded. Philosophical implications, offer a different, nonlinear realization about nature for designers. Aesthetic conclusions, argue that fractal geometry can articulate an innate beauty (a scaling phenomenon) in nature. Modeling, discusses ways of using chaos theory to visualize the design process, a process which may be most resilient when it is nonlinear. The last research chapter, managing, applications of chaos theory are used to illustrate how complex form, like that in nature, can be created by designers.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Landscape Architecture

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Landscape Architecture

Department dc:contributor.department

Landscape Architecture

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1994

Author dc:creator

• Kennedy, R. Scott

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Miller, Patrick A.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Gartner, Howard Scott
• Johnson, Benjamin C.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-04082009-041305

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/42000