Early attempts to use scientific theory to urban planning were, if not total disasters, definitely utilising the wrong sciences. Rather than the rigid sets of rules that gave us Milton Keynes, planners are now embracing Complexity Theory to help plan spaces around people.
Have you ever read/heard about A PATTERN LANGUAGE which was all about planning homes and cities etc. to fit people rather than the othe way around? It was one of three books, though I only have the first. I wish I had them all.