Record

“Reception Alcoves” Pattern

01/08/1969

Early Pattern

Early formulation of pattern on a 2-page format with: Title of Pattern, Photo, Statement of Problem, Solution, Diagram, Author/s, Date, revision Date and Notes; revised in 1970.

Authors:

Ronald Walkey, Denny Abrams, Barbara Schreiner, James Smith, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.

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References

Scientific Research

Development of first Patterns and Pattern Languages

Areas of focus:

Design and Building Process

Guiding idea:

Pattern Languages in Practice

The first patterns were developed in 1967 by a group of people working together with Christopher Alexander in the Center for Environmental Structure. Between 1968 and 1976 the first pattern languages were developed and tested for particular projects undertaken by ...
Project Specific Pattern Languages - Specificity and Generality of Pattern Languages

Areas of focus:

Design and Building Process

Guiding idea:

Pattern Languages in Practice

A shared pattern language in a project acts as the generic system which gives the power to the smaller local acts to form a whole. Within the process of making a project, every individual act of building differentiates space. However, ...

Projects

Stanislaus County Mental Health Center 1970 to 1973

Modesto, CA, U.S.A.

Civic, Realized , Construction completed in 1973

Client:

Stanislaus County Mental Health Services - Dr. Hewitt F. Ryan, County Director of Psychiatric Services

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Murray Silverstein

Contractor:

Beuving Construction, Oakdale, California

Project cost:

$1,500,000

Design and construction process:

1) Creation of a pattern language for the new mental health center, which defined the general spatial layout and conditions required by the psychiatric services. 2) Layout on the site: C.E.S. worked intensively on the ground with the team of users; in a period of about one week, the layout of the building on the site, according to the pattern language, was completed. 3) Final drawings: The plan laid out on the site with stakes, was then recorded on paper, and the final building drawings prepared directly from this data, with few changes. 4) Users were brought in again, while final decisions about structure and materials were made.

Project stages:

Pattern language for the project by clients and C.E.S. Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Development Design and Construction Drawings done after layout

A community mental health center for outpatients and outpatient care with seven buildings, including clinics, outpatient facilities, therapeutic departments for adults, teenagers and children, staff facilities, administrative offices, gardens, courts and walkways, with total area 24,000 square feet. The key ...

Reports

Modesto Community Mental Health Center: Incomplete Pattern Language for Community Mental Health Centers 01/06/1970

Project, Project Report

Authors:

Christopher Alexander, Murray Silverstein, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Friedner D. Wittman, Clyde Dorsett, Coryl Jones, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A.

Introductory summary followed by twenty-five distinct patterns; each pattern provides the solution to a problem related to the following: Community, Mental Health Center, Public Gathering Place, Main Entrance, Inpatient, Outpatient, Day Care, Circulation, Patients Social Area, Alcoves – Windows, Day ...

Records

Modesto Community Mental Health Center: Item B: Specifications of Performance Standards for the Modesto Community Mental Health Center, in the Form of Patterns 23/01/1971

Project, Patterns for Project

Authors:

Christopher Alexander, Murray Silverstein, Friedner D. Wittman, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.

5-page list of patterns organized hierarchically as per the building space components; the description of the fifty proposed patterns can be found under “Early Patterns” .