By 'patterns,' I don't mean checks, plaids, and herringbones, though those
are nice too--I mean pattern
language, a way of describing good design practices invented by the architect
and theorist Christopher
Alexander and taken up by all
sorts of other disciplines. Alexander's book A
Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction and the later opus The
Nature of Order attempt to lay out a system of thinking about how small
and large spaces can be built in ways that are full of life, harmony, and plain
good sense. Each pattern describes a problem and presents guidlines for its
resolution while leaving flexible the details of implementation. Meditation: On Patterns
By 'patterns,' I don't mean checks, plaids, and herringbones, though those
are nice too--I mean pattern
language, a way of describing good design practices invented by the architect
and theorist Christopher
Alexander and taken up by all
sorts of other disciplines. Alexander's book A
Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction and the later opus The
Nature of Order attempt to lay out a system of thinking about how small
and large spaces can be built in ways that are full of life, harmony, and plain
good sense. Each pattern describes a problem and presents guidlines for its
resolution while leaving flexible the details of implementation. Here, for instance, is a pattern for enabling a smooth transition from public to private space:
127 Intimacy Gradient
Conflict
Unless the spaces in a building are arranged in a sequence which corresponds to their degrees of privateness, the visits made by strangers, friends, guests, clients, family, will always be a little awkward.
Resolution
Lay out the spaces of a building so that they create a sequence which begins with the entrance and the most public parts of the building, then leads into the slightly more private areas, and finally to the most private domains.
I find it relaxing to explore Alexander's patterns, and useful too: even when I don't have control over every detail of my space, I can investigate what makes certain elements work and try to apply the characterisitics of successful spaces to less successful ones. This morning, for instance, I started with a vague feeling of dissatisfaction with my desk, read a couple of patterns, went into the kitchen and sliced an apple, came back to my desk, and realized that the kitchen Hoosier was designed at the right height for slicing, while my desk was designed for a shorter person. A couple of encyclopedia volumes under the laptop brings the computer to a more usable height--not an ideal solution, perhaps, but an improvement.
Photo credit: Center for Environmental Structure via NPR
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Putting the encyclopedia volumes under the computer is "satisficing," says Stewart Brand in How Buildings Learn. It's the alternative to trying to design a perfect, permanent solution to temporary problems (technology changes, you fall in love with a different desk, S-K doesn't have the same height needs, etc.).
One cool thing about A Pattern Language is that if you learn the urban-design parts well and supplement it with a good book on regional urban geography, you never again need a map to explore new places (unless you're after an exact address). See the pattern of a locality, and you can find the boutique zone, the low-rent district with the low-profit-margin start-ups, and everything else you need.
Great book but is not cheap about $50.
Try a library. They let you borrow books for free. And if they are located in a big city, they might even let you place the book on reserve online. For ex., the San Francisco Public Library lets you look up books on their web page, place the book on reserve and then emails you when the book is available. All you have to do is stop by whatever branch you've asked the book to be delivered to and pick up the book at the front desk.
Its quick, easy, painless and free.
$50 is the basic going rate for most basic art/design texts. this is because they tend to be bound stronger and printed on heavier stock, use a wider variety of typefaces and sizes, and printed in sizes that are more expensive to produce (mostly due to the demands of the pretty pictures). they have more illustrations which are printed in very high quality and lots of colors. the visual/design needs are more complicated than, say, a novel which, new and in hard cover, runs $25-30 nowadays anyway. more specialized texts like this book are also printed in much smaller quantities, which means each book has to turn more of a profit.
if it makes anything better, you can often find esoteric stuff like this in the bargain bin a year or so after publication.
There is book called "Patterns of Home" that is a distillation of A Pattern Language but is a lot more accessible and applies to residences...highly recommended, and cheaper than the $50. Plus lots of pretty pictures. I buy it for all friends renovating and contemplating building new...
Similar ideas to the work of Jan Gehl (who I studied under in a master class) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Gehl and his book Life Between Buildings, as well as William Whyte and the Social Life of Small Urban Spaces.
i must confess i have unresolved issues with this book. I spent some time in chris alexander's building process studio back in the day. While it was always stressed that the ideas could be applied to any style of building (a new urbanist mantra as well), the projects that came out of it definitely leaned towards a particular aesthetic...more doubt came when i spent some time in the back to front houses of melbourne (private rooms up front, totally open living area at backyard) and they were great! the patterns are a useful guide, but i'm sure we could invert every suggestion in the book and still come up with something just as good...
I love that book! I've borrowed it from the library more than once. I have a few quibbles with some of the ideas, but overall it's a great resource and I'd love to see most of it implemented where I live.
Another interesting book is George Nelson's "How to See" available at DWR.
AH... that explains why it has always bothered me that upon entering our apartment, you pass by the bathroom and bedroom before getting to the living room...
Not sure there is a "satisficing" cure for a rental...
Chilanga Mama, you took the words right out of my floor plan. NOW it occurs to me that replacing the bedroom door with a curtain might have split the difference between "hostile closed door" and "did you bring your jammies?"
In case any of you ever make it chez Mama Chilanga, know that the "hostile closed door" might also mean "resident toddler sleeping," "toy avalanche clean-up area," or "rushed-out-the-door-this-morning-and-too-ashamed-to-admit-I-didn't-make-the-bed!"
Pam - I totally agree with you on Patterns of Home. I received it as a gift a few years ago and love it. Having read the original, and enjoyed it as a read - I find having the photographic evidence of the ten main principles really enlightening. Seeing is believing!
Thanks for introducing me to pattern language. This is something my logical mind can attach to. I'm definitely checking that book out.
Same here...I'd like to extend my gratitude for sending that marvelous pattern language...
Now, I appreciate the internal environment of my home just like how I loved my car and its parts (Audi Q7 Car Cover,etc)...
Thanks and more power!
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