The speed and complexity of worldwide change are taxing every institution and complicating processes and functions. We need to understand cities as complex adaptive systems and question how to manage change.
1) The complexity of social cultural-, ecological and economic systems, science and technology as the driving forces for urban development makes it necessary to abandon the perception of a global steady state. Instead, managing these complex coevolving systems and interdependencies for sustainability, requires the ability to cope with, adapt to and shape cities without losing options for future development.
2) Value is mostly defined narrowly in terms of financial calculus. Successful urban development requires a new ethical value based economy. It will imply behavior change to meet value-based goals. Combining social and ethical values with economic accounting defines our future cities.Opposite and challenging the conservatism of the past (“checks and balances” cerebral, cognitive, rational, the sum of market forces, etc). For sustainable urban development there is one goal (telos), which does not result in a static state of goal achievement. That goal is change itself. Therefore the city is an interconnected multifaceted continuous changing entity: an economic structure –a society, an artifact, an ecosystem, a polis, a culture defined as the things we find important, beliefs and habits. Long term effects can only be secured if city making is adapting changeability, ethical founded, and becoming places of solidarity, of passion and compassion. Adding value economically and reinforce ethical values simultaneously.