Towards a Deleuzoguattarian methodology for urban design

Abstract

The philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari (Deleuzoguattarian) is now widely thought to be apropos for today's world. This paper proposes Deleuzoguattarian philosophy as a new methodology for urban design research and practice. First, existing methodologies in the field of urban design are examined and their strengths and limitations outlined in relation to current urban problems. A reading of Deleuzoguattarian philosophy from an urban design perspective is then provided in order to propose a new methodology for research and practice. This reading mainly concentrates on the ontology and epistemology offered by the philosophy, aspects that have been neglected in the literature. The concept of territorialization as a complementary concept to assemblage theory is highlighted in order to illustrate the characteristics of the ontology and epistemology. Finally, normative goals are discussed. It is concluded that Deleuzoguattarian philosophy is not only an ethical response to modernism but is an epistemological need.

Repurposing retail space: Exploring stakeholder relationships

“…Assemblage methodologies emphasise provisional stabilisation, disassembly and reassembly (Baker and McGuirk, 2017), with Deleuzoguattarian ontology emphasising difference, change and transformation, and continual creation (Hillier and Abrahams, 2013). As such, Araabi and McDonald (2019) describe how assemblage thinking sheds light on the dynamic processes of continual urban reformation, helping enhance understanding of the ways in which the social and physical structures of cities emerge. Similarly, Kamalipour and Peimani (2015: 403) explain that assemblage thinking ‘has the capacity to provide theoretical and conceptual frameworks for exploring the complexity of the city problems and the processes through which urbanity emerges’, while McFarlane (2011) finds that assemblage theory signifies the city as an ongoing construction.…”

Designing for possibility in public space: affordance, assemblage, and ANT

“…A key precept of this paper is that the function of public spaces is largely indeterminate; designing for possibility means going beyond pre-conceived functions. A range of authors have begun to apply methodological approaches broadly known as assemblage theory and actor-network theory (ANT) to urban design with regard to the design of public open space design (Kim 2018;Sendra 2015); urban climbing (Mubi Brighenti & Pavoni 2018); landscapes (Kullmann 2018); informal urbanism (Dovey 2012); and ontologies of urban design (Foroughmand Araabi & McDonald 2019). This paper examines the potential of such approaches to expand conceptions of affordance, with a focus on the challenges of designing for the complexities of urban public space.…”