On the use of quasi-crystal and fractal concepts in the design of affordable rural/urban landscapes

This paper describes the use of quasi-crystal and fractal concepts in the design of rural and urban landscapes for affordable housing. These are shown to provide a framework for the efficient design of communities in which affordable homes are organized. In contrast to classical urban planning with single centers, distributed centers are integrated into the rural and urban landscapes using crystallographic and fractal concepts. These provide a framework for the dispersion of human traffic into well-identified regions. The combination of quasi-crystal and fractal theory is also used to provide a framework for the organic growth of communities around new distributed centers. These basic ideas are discussed within the context of a holistic framework for affordable housing.