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West Dean College Gardens Visitor’s Center
1994 to 1996
Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.
Civic, Realized
, Construction completed in Nov. 1995
The West Dean Center is a simple one-story masonry building with a large red-tiled roof and intricate brickwork for its thick walls. The building is surrounded by gardens, and its south facing wall has large arched windows overlooking the garden terrace.
Client:
Edward James Foundation
C.E.S. staff:
Christopher Alexander, John Hewitt, students from "The Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture", students from Portsmouth University
Contractor:
Center for Environmetal Structure, as Management
Contractor and General Contractor of record, with John Hewitt as Project Manager
Project stages:
Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S.
Use of full scale mock-ups
Design Development and Building Permit drawings done after layout
Direct construction management and on-site design decisions
Budget and subcontractors under C.E.S. control
Innovativ
Contents
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones
1994
Building Detail, Wall TreatmentCreated by:Christopher Alexander, John HewittThe exposed surface of the perimeter thick wall is made of a combination of red bricks, exposed concrete and flint stones. there are several patterns of alternating repetition, the predominant one being the alteration between concrete bands and the herringbone ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Massive thick structural walls with poured concrete, blocks and bricks
1994
Construction System, Structural WallCreated by:Christopher Alexander, John HewittConstruction of perimeter and transverse structural walls, eighteen inches to two feet thick. The materials used was an integrated poured combination of bricks, concrete, flint, stone and massive blocks and insulation working together as a single structural wall, because of ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Structural columns
1994
Construction System, Reinforced ConcreteCreated by:Christopher Alexander, John HewittColumns to support the arches in the cross-walls; low columns with simple capitals resting on the thick walls. Arriving at the proper shape and size of the column capital was an arduous process, since the arches are low, with their ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Arches in the transverse load bearing walls
1994
Construction System, Structural WallCreated by:Christopher Alexander, John HewittThe four thick cross-walls are pierced by low arches, to make the openings between the spaces. The size of the openings differ, and so the curve of the arches differ as well. The final curvature of each arch was finalized ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Tables, chairs and benches for the restaurant
1995
Work of Art for Project, Project FurnitureCreated by:Christopher AlexanderTables of various shapes and sizes, chairs and benches designed and made specifically for the restaurant and its upper gallery. Cardboard and wooden mock-ups of the furniture were designed while the building was stil in construction, for reconciling the feeling ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Lighting fixtures for the building
1995
Work of Art for Project, Lighting FixtureCreated by:Christopher AlexanderDesign, fabrication and installation of lighting fixtures for the dining room, one type for the ceilng and another for the wall. The ceiling light fixture is a circle of lights, hanging from a point, in the form of candelabras –hanging ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Coffered ceiling
1995
Work of Art for Project, Coffered CeilingCreated by:Christopher Alexander, John HewittDining room coffered ceiling with ornamentral features.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Stone and tiles floor surface details
1995
Building Detail, HardscapeCreated by:Christopher Alexander, John HewittThe paving combined red color floor tiles in the shape of a fleur de lys against grey stone in different sizes; fitting them together, strong centers were formed. The gutter in the paths, at its edge with the grass, was ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Door and window shaping
1995
Building Detail, Window ShapingCreated by:Christopher Alexander, Derek BonnerThe window shapes in relation to the treatment of surrounding wall formed strong centers. The window itself, beautifully shaped and specially made with curved sash. The window surround, cast concrete; beyond the cast concrete herringbone brickwork. Below the window, emphasizing ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Wainscot paneling in the dining room areas
1995
Building Detail, Wall TreatmentCreated by:Christopher Alexander, John HewittWainscot paneling in the dining room and the foyer walls.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Hand-made tilework
1996
Work of Art for Project, Hand-made TileworkCreated by:Christopher AlexanderHand-made, painted and glazed tile of white porcelain with a flower design in green and yellow on reddish background, embedded in the entrance wall to the dining hall, over the archway.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Hand-made tilework
1996
Work of Art for Project, Hand-made TileworkCreated by:Christopher AlexanderHand-made, painted and glazed array of tiles of white porcelain with a repeated flower design in green, red and brown colors in white background, embedded in the walls of the dining hall, at eye level height.
SEE ALL Construction Innovations
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding a list of drawings that have been mailed together with their digital CAD files
19/12/1994
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:Mel Agace, The Prince of Whale's Institute of Architecture, London, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding information and guidelines for exchanging digital files
01/03/1994
Administrative, InformativeSender:Chuck Han, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:Tony Heady, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding four drawing reductions and information about access to digital files
01/03/1994
Design Matters, InformativeSender:Chuck Han, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:Paul, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Letter
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Note informing about failure to upload files caused by internet failure
01/03/1994
Administrative, InformativeSender:Chuck Han, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:Paul, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Letter
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Note informing of package being sent via Fed Ex, and setting discussion time
01/03/1994
Administrative, InformativeSender:Chuck Han, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:Tony Heady, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Letter
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding a modified plan drawing and informing on progress made
17/03/1994
Progress of Works, InformativeSender:Chuck Han, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding a set of five drawings with explanatory note written on the first drawing
01/03/1994
Progress of Works, InformativeSender:Chuck Han, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Letter
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Updating on the progress of the project inspections and the mock-up results regarding the flint to be used on the outer wall-structure. Sharing personal observations and suggestions and reminding about the urgent design issues needing solution
02/12/1994
Progress of Works, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding a rough sketch of the end bay of the raised gallery
13/12/1994
Design Matters, InformativeSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding sketches with details regarding various window type openings for reviewing and commenting
14/12/1994
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding 12 pages of explanatory notes, sketches with details and analytical dimensions regarding exterior walls, wall openings, interior wall openings etc., as well as an array of photographs illustrating the on-site construction and materials
18/12/1994
Construction Works, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding again the 12 pages of explanatory notes, sketches with details and analytical dimensions regarding exterior walls, wall openings, interior wall openings etc., as well as an array of photographs illustrating the on-site construction and materials. One of the pages (Sketch B) includes editing
19/12/1994
Construction Works, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding one page with detail sketches related to the shop window
29/12/1994
Design Matters, InformativeSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: One page with a summary list of various cash payments needed, sources used and donations provided.
12/01/1994
Financial, BudgetSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:Brian Hanson, Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture, London, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Request for illustrative material on West Dean to be used with announcement of lecture about architectural education at Portsmouth.
23/10/1994
Planning of Works, Request for FeedbackSender:Brian Hanson, Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture, London, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Alexander expresses preoccupation about the lack of sufficient time to prepare something about West Dean. New Year wishes and a promiss for update next day are given.
02/01/1994
Planning of Works, InformativeSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:Brian Hanson, Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture, London, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: In length analysis of present financial issues regarding fee distribution between the John Hewitt Associates (JHA), architectural, management and C.E.S. fees for West Dean project; response to query about invoice provided by John Hewitt raising concern
01/12/1994
Financial, Request for PaymentSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Response to request for urgent resolution to cash-flow problems regarding management fee account, proposing solution suggestions. Fax cover includes note requesting to talk soon. Sequence of consecutive day faxes are included
01/12/1994
Financial, Response to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Invoices for fees and expenses for the period ending 29-Apr-1994 include one signed and its unsigned copy. Three additional pages give the analytic fee and expense record; sent to Christopher Alexander for his records.
27/05/1994
Financial, Transaction DocumentRecipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding one page with notes about the planned work, and with a sketch of the riverside eaves depicting a proposal for the layout design and construction.
17/01/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding one page with a sketch of the kitchen wall with the proposal of two small door intervals suggested by the included notes.
18/01/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding two pages with window information of the north elevation wall.
18/01/1995
Design Matters, Response to RequestSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding two pages with sketch proposals for the center-piece brick ornaments over the arched entrances of the north and south walls
19/01/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding one page with notes about the sizes of the center-piece brick ornaments asking for verification. An added answer by Christopher Alexander with comments on the conditions of aproval are included indicating the note was resent back.
22/01/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding three pages including a cover page with a note and two pages with a detail sections through the north facing and the south facing windows, illustrating eave details and ring beam and bearings of the roof.
03/02/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding seven pages with four of them depicting sketches of details with roof-eave options and the others depicting some more rough sketches with relative ideas.
05/02/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Responding to a proposal about working together with Randall Schmidt and including contact information and a request to resolve the eave issues as soon as possible.
06/02/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding one sketch of the corbel end of an arch attached to a wall; includes some dimensions.
07/02/1995
Design Matters, Response to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding one page with update information about design matters discussed on the telephone as they were applied on on-site mockups and giving some personal evaluation and observations. The second page includes a detail section drawing of the eave mockup.
08/02/1995
Design Matters, Response to RequestSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding four pages including one page with contents and drawing explanations and three pages with roof plans, sections, and detailed dimensions with more notes.
01/01/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding eight pages with structural information about the roof. Depicted are the framing plan, roof sections and numerous sketches of various connection details all including size and dimension information.
11/01/1995
Design Matters, Outstanding IssuesSender:Randall Schmidt, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding three pages with information regarding the roof truss of the shop area. Two of the pages include interior perspective sketches of the shop space trusses with reference notes on material and costs, and one page depicts a roof and wall section with dimensions.
24/04/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding two pages with alternative designs for the oak wood edge details.
29/03/1995
Design Matters, Outstanding IssuesSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding one page with a proposal sketch of a layout for the roof tile.
10/04/1995
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Financial issue of bank mixup and missunderstanding is discussed. Corrections made on invoice and suggestions for a ballanced use of withdrawals between C.E.S. and John Hewitt are mentioned.
07/06/1995
Financial, Response to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Letter
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: After reconsideration, correction is proposed regarding John Hewitt's yearly salary using comparative and fair analogy to salaries for Alexander and Brian Hanson.
13/12/1995
Financial, NotificationSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Letter
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Forwarding three pages with sketches of the garden gate including notes and dimensions
28/01/1996
Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Ltd., Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
SEE ALL Correspondence
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Design Development Drawings - Site plan
01/04/1994
Architectural Design, Design Development, Site PlanDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23"x33"Scale:1:250DigitizedTwo drawing sheets of the site plan and location plan.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Design Development Drawings - Plans
01/05/1994
Architectural Design, Design Development, Floor Plan, Foundation PlanDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23"x33"Scale:1:50DigitizedTwo drawing sheets of the foundation and floor plans.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Design Development Drawings - Elevations
01/05/1994
Architectural Design, Design Development, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23"x33"Scale:1:50DigitizedTwo drawing sheets of the four elevations of the building with table of finishes.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Design Development Drawings - Sections
01/07/1994
Architectural Design, Design Development, SectionDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23"x33"Scale:1:50DigitizedFour drawing sheets of the five sections through the volumes of the building.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Design Development Drawings - Site Utilities
01/05/1994
Mechanical Design, Design Development, Site PlanDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23"x33"Scale:1:250DigitizedDrawing sheet of the site plan showing external utilities; it includes manhole schedule and notes.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Site plan
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, Site PlanDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on PaperSize:16 3/8"x23 3/8"Scale:1:500Site plan depicting the proposed visitors’ center layout of the building, its terrace and gardens.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Floor plan
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, Floor PlanDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on PaperSize:16 3/8"x23 3/8"Scale:1:100Drawing of the floor plan with some overall dimentions .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Elevations
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on PaperSize:16 3/8"x23 3/8"Scale:1:100Two drawings depicting studies of the four main elevations. The East elevation also includes the general overall heights of the main building and the roof.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - South elevations
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on Tracing Paper, PhotocopySize:8 1/2"x21"Five drawings illustrating the development of the southern facade designs. They focus on the dimensions of the roof cornice, the bay-window and building roof shape and the thickness of the poured concrete elements between the windows.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - North elevations
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:8 1/2"x17"Three drawings illustrating two versions of the poured concrete elements around the windows, with the third drawing being an original pencil illustration of the first version .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - North elevations
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:8 1/2"x14", 8 1/2"x11"Four drawings with versions of the North wall elevation focused on the vertical wall proportions in relation to the window heights and the different materials of the facade .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Sketches
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Sketches, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on Tracing PaperSize:8 1/2"x20"Scale:1:100DigitizedThree sketches of the north wall elevation.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - North elevations
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on Tracing PaperSize:11 1/4"x22"Scale:1:100Pencil drawing of a more developed wall design including some brick layout inlays.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Sketches
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Sketches, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on Tracing PaperSize:9"x19 1/2"Scale:1:100DigitizedThree sketches of the south wall elevation.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - South elevations
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:33"x95"Large scale print of a study of the wall materials, windows and a completed roof with its tiles.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - North elevations
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23"x45"Large scale print of a study of the wall materials, windows and a completed roof with its tiles.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Entrance details
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, DetailsDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23"x34"Early outline elevation of the main entrance front wall testing spacing and proportions of a horizontally stripped wall finish.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Entrance details
25/02/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, DetailsDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:11"x17"Early study of the main entrance illustrating the ground and roof plans, and including a wall section, all with structural details and dimensions. .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Entrance elevations
25/02/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:11"x17"Early study of the main entrance illustrating two phases of the front and side elevations of the entrance. One Is a “Structure elevation” and includes the dimensions and arc radius, and the second is “Option 1” and it depicts a ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Roof design
21/02/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, Elevation, Section, DetailsDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:11"x17"Scale:1:20Three early studies of the roof structure: 1) Includes a partial elevation of the roof eave and a section; 2) Includes a longitudinal partial section illustrating the wooden roof structure with sizes; 3) Includes a transversal section of the wooden ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Elevations
23/02/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:33"x45"Early study depicting wall materials and their distribution on the façade of the shop and restrooms wall.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Site plan
01/02/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, Site PlanDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on VellumSize:24"X36"Scale:1:250Drawing with some basic site and building information in the form of outlines; CAD produced.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Floor plan
01/02/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, Floor PlanDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on VellumSize:24"X36"Scale:1:50Two floor plan studies, the first being the edited form of the second as indicated; CAD produced.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Elevations
28/02/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23 1/2"x30", 9"x23"Scale:1:50Four elevation drawings focusing on the distribution and placement of the bricks in relation to the poured concrete areas; CAD produced.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Interior sections
28/02/1994
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, SectionDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:23 1/2"x32"Scale:1:50Two sheets with schematic drawings depicting interior sections of the building; the first includes two longitudinal elevations of the dining room, and the second four cross sections through various points of the building volumes. .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Sketches
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Sketches, Floor PlanDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on Tracing PaperSize:11 3/4"x16 1/2"Scale:1:50DigitizedThree pages with sketches of plans.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Sketches
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Sketches, DetailsDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on PaperSize:8 1/2x11"Three pages with schematic detail sketches of the service counter.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Design Development Drawings - Section
01/01/1994
Architectural Design, Design Development, Foundation Plan, SectionDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:24"x35"Scale:1:20DigitizedCross section and partial foundation plan of the dining hall and raised platform area, illustrating the wall and foundation structures. .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Sketches
01/01/1995
Architectural Design, Sketches, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Original on Tracing PaperSize:8 1/2"x11"Scale:1:25DigitizedThree sketches of the entrance porch front wall finalizing dimensions, details and materials, before construction took place.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Entrance elevations
05/01/1995
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:8 1/2"x11"Scale:1:25Five comparative versions of elevations focused on the total height of the entrance, the arch height, the base height, and the cornice thickness.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Entrance elevations
01/01/1995
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:8 1/2"x11"Scale:1:25Three elevation studies of the entrance with initial ideas of the wall surface subdivisions; possibly of the poured concrete parts.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Preliminary Design Drawings - Entrance elevations
01/01/1995
Architectural Design, Preliminary Design, ElevationDesigners:Christopher Alexander, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:PhotocopySize:8 1/2"x11"Five pages with designs of various entrance ideas focused on material layouts. The first page indicates Christopher Alexander’s January ’95 idea, with the rest being referred to as “some other ideas”.
SEE ALL Drawings
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Application for Planning Permission
07/03/1994
Administrative, Building PermitForwarding eleven pages with official information and guidance ragarding application requirements for the planning permission by the Chichester District Council.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Revised Truss Design
27/01/1995
Design Matters, Proposal Brief w/sketchesAuthors:Randall Schmidt, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.12 pages with rough structural design information and calculations for the wooden roof truss of the West Dean Visitor’s Center. Two pages include notes about assumed forces, allowed stresses, size estimations, wind bracings etc. and the rest of the pages ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Work Plan, Time Table
01/04/1995
Planning of Works, ScheduleAuthors:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.One page plan of works for a five month period from April until August, organized by weekly activities.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Notes and sketches
01/01/1995
Design Matters, Notes & SketchesAuthors:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Saul, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Four pages including rough sketches of various exterior wall details including the special ornament above the arched openings, the bay window, two versions of the entrance porch, two versions of two north windows, and notes with some dimensions, preferences and ...
SEE ALL Records
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the project site
01/01/1994
Site Existing ConditionsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTwo images depicting the building site conditions and existing buildings.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building details
01/12/1994
Site Existing ConditionsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorTwo close-up views of a sewage shallow exterior manhole.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of sketches
01/01/1994
Design Process, DrawingPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:B&WDigitizedTwo early sketches by Christopher Alexander, depicting details of walls and windows.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the project during construction
01/10/1994
Exterior View, Works in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedView of the north facing wall during the early phases of construction, before the roof was installed.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Interior space at the stage on being visualized and designed - Photographs of mock-ups
01/01/1994
Design Process, Mock-upPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:B&WDigitizedPhotographs of full scale mock-ups done on the construction site, using concrete blocks and other loose construction material.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of drawings
01/01/1994
Design Process, DrawingPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:B&WDigitizedEarly sketch of the site plan, working out on site the building position.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of model
01/01/1994
Design Process, ModelPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:B&WDigitizedThe only remaining photo of the first wood and cardboard study model. It was made brick by brick –each brick a separate piece of balsa wood, which allowed visualizing and working out a coherent structure pattern.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the project during construction
01/01/1995
Exterior View, Works in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThe building viewed from its south facing side, with the roof framing in place.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the project during construction
01/06/1995
Exterior View, Works in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo views of the north wall of the building and its entrance porch, close to completion.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the project during construction
01/01/1995
Exterior View, Works in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorOne image depicting a man working on the installation of a small window.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior during construction
01/01/1995
Interior View, Works in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorImage of the main entrance arch under construction taken from the interior of the building looking outside; it depicts the main entrance archway opening before the door casement placement .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the project during construction
01/08/1995
Exterior View, Works in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorFour images with people involved in various mainly exterior construction activities. Two more images depict arched openings of the building; in the first one a person is fitting the window frame on the wall.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the project during construction
01/01/1995
Exterior View, Works in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorThree images depicting two views of the north elevation and one of the south elevation at various moments of the construction process.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of drawings
01/01/1995
DrawingPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:B&WDigitizedHardline drawing of the building floor plan.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior during construction
01/12/1995
Interior View, Works in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedView of the main dining room upper narrow gallery, during construction.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of drawings
01/01/1995
DrawingPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PMTCharacteristics:8 1/2"X11", B&WFour images depict the set of preliminary architectural drawings of the site plan, floor plan and elevations.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorTwo images depicting two views of the completed upper gallery area.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorThree images depicting two views of the completed dining room looking towards the raised platform and lobby area and one view looking towards the service area.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorThree images depicting views of the completed lobby area. The first is a view of the lobby seating area and the bay window and the other two are views of the lobby wall looking towards the restaurant and kitchen service ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the building
01/01/1996
Exterior ViewPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo distant views of the finished building, seen from the park.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the building
01/01/1996
Exterior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo views of the finished building and the pedestrian street leading to its entrance porch.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the building
01/01/1996
Exterior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:Color, B&WDigitizedThe building viewed while approaching it from the front garden.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the building
01/01/1996
Exterior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree views of the north wall. It is worth observing the differentiation of the brickwork at the corner on the right because of the window being so close to the corner.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building details
01/01/1996
Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree views of the north wall with focus on the brickwork and its detailing.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the building
01/01/1996
Exterior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree distant views of the building from the south facing gardens.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the building
01/01/1996
Exterior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree views of the building south facing wall and its terraces looking into the garden. The river Lavant and a modified bridge have been made part of the building.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building details
01/01/1996
Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo images of the south facing terraces looking into the garden.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of garden
01/01/1996
Garden ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo images of the espaliered wall in the garden.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of garden
01/01/1996
Garden ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedView of the long, curved bench built in the garden, forming an egg-shaped space of repose under the sun before entering the building, plus a sketch diagram of the seat location by Christopher Alexander.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of garden
01/01/1996
Garden View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Demetrius Gonzalez/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo views of the entrance foyer and the green spaces around it.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedSix images with the arched openings in the massive cross walls.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedFour images of the main dining room with its big windows facing south, into the garden.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThe main dining room with its coffered ceiling and hanging lights, viewed through one of the arched openings of the raised dining platform .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedFour views of the dining room focusing on guests enjoying the place.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Nicolas Kane, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedImage of the long and narrow upper gallery of the dining hall with a sequence of tables in front of each window.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo images of the dining room upper gallery.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the building
01/01/1996
Exterior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorTwo images of the southern elevation focused at the lobby entrance and the restaurant part of the building .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorFour images of the lobby area from different angles. Images focus on the bay window, the dining room space and arched passageway.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:Digital, PrintCharacteristics:4"x6" , ColorDigitizedTwo images of the main dining room at angles, looking towards the adjacent spaces of the lobby and the raised alcoves.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of the building
01/02/2016
Exterior ViewPhotographer:Dan Klynn, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedFour views of the south face of the building with its terraces, during the winter months.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of garden
01/02/2016
Garden ViewPhotographer:Dan Klynn, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedImage of the espaliered wall in the garden.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/02/2016
Interior ViewPhotographer:Dan Klynn, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo images of the thick cross wall with its arched openings and column capitals as finally shaped, separating the dining room from its lobby.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Photographs of building interior
01/01/1996
Interior ViewPhotographer:Dan Klynn, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThe long and narrow raised platform of the dining room,in which in front of each window there is a table with two chairs.
SEE ALL Photographs
References
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The Unfolding of Public Space and Gardens as Positive Space
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Structure Preserving TransformationsOutdoor space is positive when it is shaped just as a room is shaped. It has a contained character, it is bounded by walls, fences, natural vegetation, enclosure of some kind. It looks into other positive spaces, some larger, some ...
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Geometry and Fifteen Fundamental Properties
Areas of focus:Structure of SpaceGuiding idea:Centers and Fields of CentersChristopher Alexander recognized the importance of the geometry of centers and for years he was looking for the common structural features among buildings, paintings, streets, carpets, doors, windows, etc. which have "life" and "wholeness". He identified fifteen structural features which ...
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Design and Construction is one Integrated Making Process
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Construction ProcessThe design process of a project and its construction process are united into one continuous and intertwined making process, unfolding in a step-by-step sequence. Design ends together with the completion of the construction process. "Making" is a conception of the ...
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The Layout Process of Buildings on the Land - Visualization at Full Scale on Site
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Step by Step ProcessEach act of building needs to have a positive effect on its surroundings; to complete them, preserve their structure, make them better, by creating strong centers in them and next to them. Each new building is more alive when it ...
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The Sequence of Unfolding - Generative Codes for the Design Process
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Structure Preserving TransformationsIn architecture, as in other things, the "right" sequence is of vital importance. It is a generative sequence of progressive differentiations, which allow space to unfold in the right order. Each differentiation acts on the product of the previous ...
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Emergence of Geometric Order in Building Structure
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Structure Preserving TransformationsFocusing primarily on the pure beauty of the geometric order, which comes, above all, from the building structure (columns, walls, beams, vaults and so forth), specifically from the aperiodic grids which form the abstract underpinning of the building structure.
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Wholeness as a Tangible and Objective Quality: The Mirror of the Self
Areas of focus:Quality and ValuesGuiding idea:Wholeness as an Objective QualityIn any process of design or making, the next step which is most structure-enhancing, is that step which most intensifies the feeling of the emerging whole. What ultimately matters in this process is that the work produced generates feeling in ...
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Ornament and Function as Products of Unfolding
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Structure Preserving TransformationsOrnament arises as part of the design process, when a person is making and seeks to embellish this "something" while making it. It arises as a result of the latent centers in the uncompleted thing requiring still more centers, requiring ...
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Strong Centers in all Levels of Scale
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Structure Preserving TransformationsA building can only amount to something as a living thing when the various physical elements which appear in it are profound centers. The dominant feature of the process that is working correctly is that new centers are formed, and ...
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A New Approach to Design and Construction Management
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Construction ProcessA new kind of design/construction/management process, especially for large projects, is required, which will allow the building to be conceived, designed and built so that it comes to life. Below are the ground rules of such a process, already tried ...
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Innovative Construction Systems, Techniques and Materials
Areas of focus:Design and Building ProcessGuiding idea:Construction InnovationOne of the main topics of research, included in every building project, was to identify, early on in the design process, the material and techniques of construction. This would re-establish building as an art, and allow rapid shaping and adaptation, ...
SEE ALL Scientific Research
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The Nature of Order - An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Two - The Process of Creating Life
2002
Authors:Christopher AlexanderPublisher:The Center for Environmental Structure Publishing, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.No of pages:636 pp“The Process of Creating Life”, the second volume of “The Nature of Order” series presents a dynamic theory of living structure. It begins with an analysis of transformations, which occur in nature, and the distinction between structure-preserving transformations, responsible for ...
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The Nature of Order - An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Four - The Luminous Ground
2004
Authors:Christopher AlexanderPublisher:The Center for Environmental Structure Publishing, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.No of pages:356 pp“The Luminous Ground” is the fourth and last volume of “The Nature of Order” series. In this volume, Alexander attempts to show the cosmological underpinning of the nature of order. The book has two goals. First, to show that the ...
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The Nature of Order - An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Three - A Vision of a Living World
2005
Authors:Christopher AlexanderPublisher:The Center for Environmental Structure Publishing, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.No of pages:697 pp“A Vision of a Living World”, the third volume of “The Nature of Order” series, presents, for the first time, a full spectrum of Alexander’s and CES built and unbuilt works. The book describes hundreds of buildings, plans, neighborhoods, drawings, ...
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15. Emergence of Formal Geometry, 2 / Formation of Brutal and Massive Chunks in the Visitor Center at West Dean
PublicationBook title:
The Nature of Order – An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Two – The Process of Creating LifePages:403-406Digitized -
Chapter 17. Simplicity, 8 / At Each Step Get Rid of Everything That is not Required; "Making Life" and "Being Simple" are the Same
PublicationBook title:
The Nature of Order – An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Two – The Process of Creating LifePages:480-483Digitized -
Chapter 10. Pleasing Yourself, 10 / The Effort it Took to Get the Stark Geometry of West Dean to a State Where it Really Pleases me
PublicationBook title:
The Nature of Order – An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Four – The Luminous GroundPages:286-291Digitized -
The Morphology of Living Architecture, 2 / A Collection of Examples
PublicationBook title:
The Nature of Order – An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Three – A Vision of a Living WorldPages:641-654Digitized -
The Morphology of Living Architecture, 4 / Centers and Symmetries
PublicationBook title:
The Nature of Order – An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Three – A Vision of a Living WorldPages:662-668Digitized -
Chapter 15. All Building as Making, 4 / The Most Basic Feature of Living Structure
PublicationBook title:
The Nature of Order – An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Three – A Vision of a Living WorldPages:486-488Digitized -
Chapter 7. The Character of Gardens
PublicationBook title:
The Nature of Order – An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Three – A Vision of a Living WorldPages:228-256Digitized -
Preface: Living Process Repeated Ten Million Times, 4 / Examples of Life-Creating Processes from our Era
PublicationBook title:
The Nature of Order – An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe.
Book Three – A Vision of a Living WorldPages:8-20Digitized
SEE ALL Book Chapters
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The West Dean College Visitors Center
01/11/1994
Publication, ArticleAuthors:Brian HansonPublished in:Architectural DesignPublisher:John Wiley & Sons Ltd., London, U.K.
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Charles's architect row hangs over trust
26/05/1995
Publication, ArticleAuthors:Chris HewittPublished in:The News, pp. 1 & 27
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Charles visit seals peg tiles triumph
27/06/1995
Publication, ArticlePublished in:Kent Today, pp. 10
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Not Arts and Crafts
01/05/1995
Publication, Book ContributionAuthors:Brian HansonPublished in:Educating Architects, pp. 106-109Editor:Martin Pearce, Maggie ToyPublisher:AD Academy Editions, London, U.K.
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Eyecatcher - Unusual Sites from Around the World
01/08/1996
Publication, Article
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The Alexander Technique - The Visitor Centre at West Dean Breaks new ground
01/08/1996
Publication, ArticleAuthors:Alan PowersPublished in:Perspectives on Architecture, Vol. 24, pp. 44-47Publisher:Perspectives on Architecture Ltd. & The Prince of the Wales's Institute of Architecture, London, U.K.
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An Interview with Christopher Alexander: Part I
21/04/2005
Publication, ArticleAuthors:Eli BornsteinPublished in:The Structurist - Regenerating Art and Architecture in Nature's Landscape, No. 45/46, pp. 4-21Publisher:University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, CanadaDigitized
SEE ALL Articles
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Brick and Block Construction: Forwarding three pages with various close-up photographs of wall mock-ups
03/12/1994
Work of Art, Construction Works, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Brick and Block Construction: Forwarding four pages of photocopied images depicting exterior walls under construction with close-up images of flint walls
24/12/1994
Work of Art, Construction Works, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Forwading initial sketches of the curved window mullions of two window types, the small and the large; includes relative proportions of the glazed areas
01/11/1994
Work of Art, Design Matters, Responce to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding detail sketches with various options of window lintels, for the various types of windows including dimensions and special characteristics. With initial notes about critical windows in relation to lintels and suggestions of material layouts of the walls around the windows
17/01/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding detail drawings relating to brick layout for the window arches and also including brick specifications. One page contains a suggestion of brick layout for the wall segments between windows
18/01/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding sketches with ideas about constructing the top beams above the windows; also, it expresses concern about casting the beams
19/01/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding notes with ideas illustrated on elevation drawings regarding brick and poured concrete wall elements. Requesting for a discussion about the included topics
20/01/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding more sketches with proposals for the proportions of brick layouts above the arched openings for the north and the south elevations
27/01/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in load bearing walls: Forwarding information and sketches with dimensions regarding interior arched walls, as well as column dimensions and proportions; information derived from a paper study model
29/01/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Updating about the progress of wall construction and commenting on some personal evaluations and suggestions. Attached are a few photocopied images illustrating the points made
31/01/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in load bearing walls: Forwarding information focusing on internal arches and presenting two arch types, concentric and proportional
02/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:Jeff, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in load bearing walls: Forwarding size details of the two arch types of concentric and proportional curves with evaluating remarks. Two pages with full interior elevations of the two types are attached
03/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in load bearing walls: Forwarding images of the structural walls under construction. Arch molds of the large openings are seen in some images
03/02/1995
Work of Art, Construction Works, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding two sketches with versions of brick layouts between windows
06/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in load bearing walls: Forwarding information and sketches of the kitchen arch and of its column capital, with notes dimensions
08/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in load bearing walls: Forwarding sketches of arches with dimensions
13/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Structural Columns: Forwarding sketches with three types of column and capital proportions for the kitchen, reception, and the shop walls
14/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Responce to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Structural Columns: Forwarding perspective sketches with three types of column capitals with dimensions, for the kitchen, reception, and the shop walls
14/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Structural Columns: Forwarding an isometric sketch of a column capital with dimensions, as proposal
15/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in load bearing walls: Responding to the two sketches of the kitchen and the shop walls sent by Christopher Alexander and clarifying the total wall heights
16/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in load bearing walls: Forwarding two sketches of arched walls and requesting feedback regarding the dimensions
16/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Structural Columns: Forwarding images of various mockup versions of column capitals and lintels
19/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Structural Columns: Follow-up of previously sent sketch of the upper part of the kitchen-wall column
21/02/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Forwarding a previously selected drawing by Christopher Alexander of an opening-window type; with comments
01/03/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Forwarding hardline sketches of the two types of windows, small and large, for discussion
20/03/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Forwarding rough sketches of two versions of the restaurant windows with dimensions and comments; included is one sketch of the small windows
24/03/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Forwarding 5 pages including, a large window sketch, details and images of sash and window frame profiles and two pages with classic moulding and rounding over cutters
24/03/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Responding to a previously forwarded drawing by a new window sketch
27/03/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Forwarding a hard-line drawing of the large window for reviewing
27/03/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Responce to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Forwarding two versions of the large window muntins and mullions for comparing the differences
28/03/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Responce to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and Window Shaping: Updating on the outcome of full-scale window studies made on site and expressing concerns
28/03/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Hand-made Tilework: Forwarding a sketch of the flower pattern for the entrance wall to the dining hall over the archway, chosen by HRH Prince Charles; with dimensions and notes
13/04/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding three pages with sketches of the main entrance facade with details and wall sections
24/04/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding two facade ideas of the main entrance in response to previously sent sketches
25/04/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Response to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding one page with a partial facade of the main entrance and a section, requesting a call for clarifications
26/04/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding one page with a partial facade of the main entrance focusing on the poured concrete detail of the arch lintel support
27/04/1995
Work of Art, Construction Works, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding one page with a main entrance sketch with dimensions and a wall section in response to the arch lintel support proposed previously
29/04/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Responce to RequestSender:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Recipient:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding two pages with main entrance sketches focused on the material distribution; with evaluating comments
29/04/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Responce to RequestSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding two pages with main entrance sketches focused on the material distribution; with evaluating comments
02/05/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Brick and Block Construction: Forwarding images of the building under construction, focusing on the flint stone placement
10/06/1996
Work of Art, Construction Works, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exposed herringbone brick pattern with grey flint stone in thin lines: Forwarding one more version of the brick layout, the arch height and the brick size for the window arches
22/01/1995
Work of Art, Design Matters, Request for FeedbackSender:John Hewitt, Unicorn Consultancy Services Limited, Portsmouth, Hampshire, U.K.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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Forward note including a draft letter presenting David Heine's interest to film more projects by Alexander in the U.K. and inquiring about possible financial assistance with travel and staying expenses by the Foundation
10/03/1995
Personal Archive, Film Portrait of CASender:David Heine, Aspect Productions, Eugene, OR, U.S.A.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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Forward of proposed letter to Simon Ward of the Edward James Foundation, West Dean College, introducing ASPECT's independent documentary production about Christopher Alexander; sent for Alexander's information and comments
07/04/1995
Personal Archive, Film Portrait of CASender:David Heine, Aspect Productions, Eugene, OR, U.S.A.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
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Alexander's response with the edited version of David Heine's letter to Simon Ward
27/04/1995
Personal Archive, Film Portrait of CASender:David Heine, Aspect Productions, Eugene, OR, U.S.A.Recipient:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure , Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Medium:Fax
SEE ALL Correspondence
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Prince of Wales to Open Visitor Center by World-Reknown Architect & Theorist
02/08/1996
Publication, Article Publication, NotificationTwo-page text of an announcement by “Perspectives” for the opening of the West Dean Visitor’s Center, with a brief presentation of the unique building process applied in response to its sensitive environment. It includes two images of Christopher Alexander on ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Tables, chairs and benches for the restaurant: Furniture for the West Dean Visitors Center, June 14, 1995
14/06/1995
Construction Innovation, Design Matters, Project StandardsAuthors:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Four pages of an initial draft with specifications and dimensions of various furniture for the restuarant and upper gallery: 1) Five rectangular tables; 2) Four approximatelly square tables; 3) Five wall bracket tables of the upper gallery; 4) Four ellipse ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Hand-made Tilework: Sketches & notes on tile glazes
05/07/1996
Construction Innovation, Design Matters, Notes & SketchesAuthors:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.Four sketches with notes of the two tile patterns for which four versions of color combinations and distribution are proposed by the specified glaze codes.
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Symposium titled "Good Building": Presentation by Christopher Alexander, "Good Building Symposium" - April 1, 1998.
01/09/1998
Public Event, Post Event CommunicationAuthors:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.11-page transcript of Alexander’s presentation discussing the concepts explaining ‘what is a good building’ and how this could be accomplished today. A forwarding letter is attached requesting his review before it is published. .
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CNU XIV Congress for the New Urbanism on "Developing the New Urbanism: Implementation" - Keynote address by Christopher Alexander
03/06/2006
Public Event, Event Document, Speech TranscriptAuthors:Christopher Alexander, Center for Environmental Structure, West Sussex, U.K.Digitized16-page rough trascript of the keynote address given by Christopher Alexander at the CNU XIV Congress for New Urbanism, introduced by Hank Dittmar, chief executive of the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment. Alexander discussed his philosophical and practical theories ...
SEE ALL Records
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs of samples
01/01/1994
Construction Innovation, Construction ProcessPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorThirteen images of the flint stone depicting the variety of samples of the existing stone sizes, colors and availability. Displayed in an array of combinations as when embedded in a wall and including close-ups of various individual stone types .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs of mock-up
01/05/1994
Construction Innovation, Construction Experiment & Mock-upPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:Color. B&WDigitizedThree images of early mock-ups of the exposed face of the wall, built on the project grounds and exploring what balance of the materials would best create the whole.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs of mock-up
01/05/1994
Construction Innovation, Construction Experiment & Mock-upPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree images of mock-ups for the entrance porch wall, with brick plinth, concrete and stone vertical bands and red brick herringbone inserts.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Massive thick structural walls with concrete, blocks and bricks: Plinth of perimeter wall under construction - Photographs
01/07/1994
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedConstructing the plinth of the perimeter thick wall.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Massive thick structural walls with concrete, blocks and bricks: Perimeter wall under construction - Photographs
01/09/1994
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Work in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo views from the process of constructing the perimeter thick wall, using a combination of concrete, concrete blocks, bricks and flint.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in the transverse load bearing walls: Photographs of drawings
01/01/1994
Construction Innovation, SketchesPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:B&WDigitizedTwo sketches of the building depicting its transformation from a plain rectangle with long walls pierced with windows, into a structured space by introducing four massive cross-walls, integrated with the functional arrangement of the building. As the design unfolded, ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Massive thick structural walls with concrete, blocks and bricks: Thick walls under construction - Photographs
01/12/1994
Construction Innovation, Focus on Details, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo views of thick wall construction details, during construction.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs of windows during the process of visualizing them
01/09/1994
Construction Innovation, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThe bay window in the foyer of the dining room, while being shaped. Standing on the open slab and looking into the garden, for grasping the character of the bay window.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs of windows during the process of visualizing them
01/09/1994
Construction Innovation, Mock-up, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:B&WDigitizedBy placing chairs and sitting down it was possible to get a first fix on the position, size, width and splay of the dining room large window openings.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in the transverse load bearing walls: Photographs of sketches with arches and their curves
01/09/1994
Construction Innovation, Sketches, Design ProcessPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:B&WDigitizedThree photographs of early sketches by Christopher Alexander depicting the emergence and shaping of the wall arches. The templates for making the curve of the formworks were copied from these sketches; in the second photo, the top sketch gave the ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs
01/01/1995
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTwo images depicting the main entrance wall and opening under construction. One image is a close-up of a detail.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs
01/01/1995
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Focus on Detail, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo images of the north wall under construction.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs
01/01/1995
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Focus on Detail, Work in ProgressPhotographer:John Hewitt, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree images of the south entrance under construction. It is worth comparing it with the treatment of the north entrance.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Structural Columns: Photographs of mock-ups
01/03/1995
Construction Innovation, Mock-upPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedImages of four columns mock-ups built out of cardboard for testing shape and height, as well as shape and size of its capital.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Arches in the transverse load bearing walls: Photographs
01/04/1995
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree images of the arched cross-walls supported by low columns, during the construction phase.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Tables, chairs and benches for the restaurant: Photographs of mock-ups
01/07/1995
Construction Innovation, Mock-upPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedEarly carboard and wooden mock-ups of the furniture designed for the building and tested in the actual place while it was still in construction. Furniture was built according to these mock-ups.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs
01/08/1995
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThe bay window in the foyer of the dining room, looking into the gardens, during the last phase of its construction.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs
01/01/1995
Construction Innovation, Focus on Detail, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedDetailed view of the north entrance porch under construction, showing the process of handling the materials and testing them during construction, before embedding them in the building. .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Exterior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTwo images depicting exterior views of the main entrance door.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTwo images with the interior view of the large windows.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedFour images of the finished north wall with details of brick pattern, arch, thistle ornament and window mullions.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree images of the entrance porch, the first an overview and the other two with focus on the brickwork pattern on the pillars.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Exterior wall with exposed herringbone brick pattern, alternating with exposed concrete bands and grey flint stones: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Nicolas Kane, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo images showing how the window, being so close to the corner, makes the brickwork corner to be differentiated.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Hand-made Tilework: Photographs of mock-up
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Mock-upPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTwo images of a mock-up tile without color glazing, placed against the wall for reviewing .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree images of the two main doors of the building.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Exterior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedSix images exhibiting the variety of windows in the building; arches and curved mullions shape the glass panes.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Coffered Ceiling: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo close-up views of the dining room coffered ceiling, in square panels with a rosette at the center of each panel.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Stone and tiles floor surface details: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedFour images of flooring materail both for interior and exterior surfaces.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Hand-made Tilework: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedTwo views of the tilework bands embedded on the walls of the entrance foyer and the dining room area.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTwo closeup interior views of the service door.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Tables, chairs and benches for the restaurant: Photographs of mockups
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Furniture Making, Mock-upPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorFour images of two mock-up studies of a wooden chair.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Tables, chairs and benches for the restaurant: Photographs of mockups
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Furniture Making, Mock-upPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTwo images of a mock-up of the wooden table leg.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Wainscot paneling in the dining room areas: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Interior View, MockupPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTwo photographs of the wainscot paneling, one depicting the finished interior wall with the wainscot panelling and the other one a study mock-up .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Lighting fixtures for the building: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Focus on Detail, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorTen images depicting one of the hanging lighting fixtures under fabrication with close-up views of its details.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Lighting fixtures for the building: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Focus on Detail, Work in ProgressPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorEleven images depicting wall fixed lighting fixtures under fabrication with close-up views. Some images depict a side-by-side comparison with the hanging lighting fixture and as being placed on a wall .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Lighting fixtures for the building: Photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Interior ViewPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", ColorOne image depicting the finished ceiling with the hanging lighting fixture installed .
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photograph of sketches with the window as a center
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Sketches, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedSeveral geomeric properties –alternating repetition, good shape, strong centers, positive space– are present through the articulation of the brick pattern, arch, thistle ornament, muntins. There is an inherent harmonious structure bringing forward the window as a center. A sketch by ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center: Building interior photographs
01/01/1996
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedView of the dining room focused on one of the arched openings leading into the upper gallery, overlooking the main dining room. Τhe wainscot panelling of the dining room, the wall embedded hand-made tilework on both sides of the ...
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Hand-made Tilework: Photographs
17/02/2016
Construction Innovation, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Dan Klynn, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedPhotograph of the tile embedded in the wall above the dining room arched entry leading into the dining room.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Hand-made Tilework: Photographs
17/02/2016
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Dan Klynn, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedThree photographs of the tilework bands embedded on the walls of the dining room.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Ceiling Plasterwork: Photographs
17/02/2016
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Dan Klynn, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedImage of the cornice on the ceiling of the dining room foyer and its bay window.
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West Dean College Gardens Visitor's Center - Door and window shaping: Photographs
01/01/2016
Construction Innovation, Interior View, Focus on DetailsPhotographer:Dan Klynn, Near Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.Source:DigitalCharacteristics:ColorDigitizedDetail of the main entrance door and its detailing.
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Photograph of the actual plant whose stylized pattern was chosen for the hand-made tile design. The tile was used for the entrance wall to the dining hall over the archway at the West Dean Colege Gardens Visitor's Center
01/01/1996
Personal ArchiveSource:PrintCharacteristics:4"x6", Color
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