A Pattern Language

This website has a summary of Christopher Alexander's A Pattern Language (Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S. and Silverstein, M., with Jacobson, M., Fiksdahl-King, I. and Angel, S., 1977, A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction, New York: Oxford University Press). This book is quite inspiring in its articulation of urban design criteria, and I use it as a reference when I struggle to find the words to explain the ideas of urban form that I know are worthwhile and important.

(Image source: http://thearchitectstake.com/wpb/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/a-pattern-language-book-cover1.jpg.)

Some of the principles, such as 133 Staircase as a Stage—a staircase is not just a way to get from one floor to another, it is a space in itself; if the staircase is not treated as a room, it will be a dead spot, and disconnect the building—I felt like I had an instinctive understanding of, but had not articulated in the terms that Alexander uses or in so comprehensive and connected a way. This criterion is something that I had noticed in houses and buildings. Staircases are a space that connect two whole floors, and therefore play a key role in maintaining social connection. A large, central, exciting staircase means that people can see other people sitting, entering, and seeing for themselves.

The imagery used is interesting. Perhaps this is the 'pattern language' that he approaches across the whole work. It is a unique system of descriptions and nuances and metaphors in articulating verbally and physically the ideas and forms of the city. Other examples include 106 Positive Outdoor Space and 107 Wings of Light (another favourite of mine: buildings should be in narrow wings, so that no one is more than 5 metres from the natural light of a window). There is something more than just description going on here. Language makes a big difference on the way that we see things.