Specify Containing Books A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction
Title | : | A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction |
Author | : | Christopher W. Alexander |
Book Format | : | Hardcover |
Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 1216 pages |
Published | : | August 25th 1977 by Oxford University Press (first published 1977) |
Categories | : | Architecture. Design. Nonfiction. Cities. Urban Planning. Philosophy. Urbanism |
Christopher W. Alexander
Hardcover | Pages: 1216 pages Rating: 4.39 | 4025 Users | 311 Reviews
Ilustration To Books A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction
At the core of A Pattern Language is the philosophy that in designing their environments people always rely on certain ‘languages,’ which, like the languages we speak, allow them to articulate and communicate an infinite variety of designs within a formal system which gives them coherence. This book provides a language of this kind. It will enable making a design for almost any kind of building, or any part of the built environment. ‘Patterns,’ the units of this language, are answers to design problems: how high should a window sill be?; how many stories should a building have?; how much space in a neighborhood should be devoted to grass and trees? More than 250 of the patterns in this language are outlined, each consisting of a problem statement, a discussion of the problem with an illustration, and a solution. As the authors say in their introduction, many of the patterns are archetypal, so deeply rooted in the nature of things that it seems likely that they will be a part of human nature and human action as much in five hundred years as they are today. A Pattern Language is related to Alexander’s other works in the Center for Environmental Structure series: The Timeless Way of Building (introductory volume) and The Oregon Experiment.
Describe Books As A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction
Original Title: | A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction |
ISBN: | 0195019199 (ISBN13: 9780195019193) |
Edition Language: | English |
Rating Containing Books A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction
Ratings: 4.39 From 4025 Users | 311 ReviewsWeigh Up Containing Books A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction
A timeless classic, that should be in every household, especially of those in design, construction, and community and city planning. Alexander and his team have uncovered the mathematical and human patterns underneath many important design decisions.Again, I have Skipped a LOT of stuff ... I could say that I've covered 65% of the book. I highly recommend it for students and professionals as well. The reason why I rated it 4 stars is because there are some ideas that I did not agree with. But rather than that the book is very useful, very informative and interesting. It opened my mind to many possibilities and ideas.
If I was on a desert island and could only have one book, this would be it.

This is probably my favorite non-fiction book. Christopher Alexander and his students have collected everything there is to know about design and put it in one book. Yet cultures go on making the same mistakes over and over. And few architects I talk to have ever read the book.The book is easy to read and understand. It consists of hundreds of patterns, described in a page or two. They range from the width of door molding to how cities should be laid out. For example, there is a pattern, "Old
1171 pages covering 253 'patterns'. And this is the second half of the book (1st half is "The Timeless Way of Building".1171 pages!!! love their little sketches and diagrams, but for the average urbanist, this book isn't worth your time. Lots of the ideas are timeless, if misunderstood or neglected during certain periods, but many others are dated, unpopular, or so idealistic as to be ludicrous. Some principles counter-acted others, some are counter-intuitive but quite sensible, others are
This architecture classic from 1977 approaches architecture in a way that's altogether new to me: it provides 253 archetypal elements of design that together form a "language" to speak of an infinite variety of designs, from the large scale (regional metro plans) to the small scale (individual homes). I loved how this book was very easy to pick up and put down--the 1000 or so pages don't have to be read all at one go for it to make sense.What I hate about this book: I adore the building plans
Anyone with the luxury of designing their own home should jump at the chance to get this book. It's a bit dated, but at 1100+ pages it surely describes most of the details you'll need to think about.I took it home from the library because it's a fascinating book about architectural design in general, everything from the optimal size of a public square (70 feet wide) to the best place for a garden seat. I learned that my house has a good "intimacy gradient" (spaces meant to be public are readily
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