ABSTRACT
This chapter explaines small world network theory within the context of self-organised criticality. Evolutionary theory described adaptation and resilience from the perspective of gradualism and punctuated equilibrium, which impacts upon the development of neighbourhood density of small world networks. The origins of small world network theory were outlined through sociology and social network analysis and more recent research in brain networks illustrated the potential for small world network theory in understanding cities. The positive and negative outcomes of the experimental urban design project are discussed in light of the adaptive perceptual cycle and small world network theory. Small world network theory is relevant to masterplanning because it may enable to envisage the distribution of clusters of activities, the connectivity between those clusters and the likely impact on the organisation and vulnerability of an urban network. The strength of weak ties describes an important element of small world network theory.
