The art of controlled chaos: Towards designed emergence

This article presents ‘designed emergence’, a framework for developing interactive art systems that function as dynamic, co-creative partners. To overcome the limitations of deterministic approaches in algorithmic art, this method leverages principles from assemblage theory and systems thinking. It strategically dismantles rigid hierarchies and employs interconnected feedback loops to generate sustained, unpredictable behaviours. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated through an analysis of the SOCIETY series of installations (2019–20) and a detailed case study of the public artwork Platonic Fractal . The research shows that designing for emergence facilitates self-organizing systems, reframing the artistic paradigm from one of authorial control to an embrace of uncertainty and offering a model for art that prioritizes spontaneity and co-creative evolution.