Master Planning as a Dynamic Process – Organic Order and Piecemeal Growth

Books

The Oregon Experiment 1975

Authors:

Christopher Alexander, Murray Silverstein, Shlomo Angel, Sara Ishikawa, Denny Abrams

Publisher:

Oxford University Press, New York, NY, U.S.A.

No of pages:

189 pp

The third volume of “The Center for Environmental Structure Series” on architecture published by Oxford University Press, “The Oregon Experiment” is the first of the series to describe in full detail how the theory presented in “A Pattern Language” and ...

Projects

Master Plan for the University of Oregon 1969 to 1971

Eugene, OR, U.S.A.

Master Planning, Educational, Realized , Completed in 1971 and impletented

Client:

University of Oregon - Mr. Robert S. Harris, Dean of the School of Architecture and Chairman of the user planning committee

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Murray Silverstein, Shlomo Angel, Sara Ishikawa, Denny Abrams

Project stages:

Pattern language for the project by clients and C.E.S. Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Generic rules for urban growth process Diagnosis and repair process

A complete user-based master plan for the University of Oregon, in Eugene, introducing a new planning theory, which replaced the predominant theory of master plans. It gave primacy to the use of pattern languages and user design, in the continuous ...
Master Planning Process for the Town of Marsta 1972

Marsta, Sweden

Master Planning, Designed , Design Competition, Proposal submitted in 1970

Client:

Johaness Olivegren

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Max Jacobson, Ingrid Fiksdahl-King

Project stages:

Pattern language for the project by C.E.S. Generic rules for the layout on the site by users Generic rules for urban growth process Implementation process

Master Plan based on the fundametal idea of a planning process which allows the planning office of Sigtuna Marsta commune together with representative users to make planning decisions for themselves. The process, organized on the basis of four elements "Pattern ...
Canary Island Tourist Resort 1973

Fuerta Ventura, Canary Islands, Spain

Commercial, Designed , Completed in 1973

Client:

Development Consortium, Rueger and Associates, Stuttgart, Germany

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Ingrid Fiksdahl-King, Halim Abdelhalim, Lisa Heschong

Project stages:

Pattern language for the project by C.E.S. Generic rules for urban growth process Preliminary design

Development plan for a tourist resort for 80,000 people. Formulation of a project specifc pattern language for creating real and active communities all year round; it included 45 patterns which defined the preservation of land, the sites for building, relative ...
Tourist Development for Malaga 1974

Malaga, Andalusia, Spain

Commercial, Designed , Completed in 1974

Client:

Spanish Ministry of Tourism

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Halim Abdelhalim, Walter V. Wendler, Ingrid Fiksdahl-King, Donald Corner, Howard Davis

Project stages:

Generic rules for urban growth process Preliminary Design

The project intent was to solve the deterioration of the Spanish tourist areas. The proposal was to untertake a combined program of research, development and construction, which would create a workable model for the repair of those Spanish coasts badly ...
People Rebuilding Berkeley 1974

Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.

Neighborhood Planning, Designed , Proposal completed in 1974

Client:

City of Berkeley Master Plan Revision Committee

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Howard Davis, Halim Abdelhalim

Project stages:

Pattern language for the project by C.E.S. Generic rules for urban growth process

Neighborhood-controlled planning process, in which the energy of the people of the town is liberated, and join together in the creation, growth and constant repair of the common land. It proposes the local neighborhood as the fundamental unit for a ...
Master Plan for Walnut Creek Town Square 1974

Walnut Creek, CA, U.S.A.

Commercial, Designed , Not built

Client:

Miller and Facchini Developers

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Ingrid Fiksdahl-King

Project stages:

Generic rules for urban growth process Preliminary Design

200,000 square feet of rental space for office and commercial use, to be built incrementally.
Aspen Village 1990

Aspen, CO, U.S.A.

Master Planning, Designed , Not built

Client:

City of Aspen and Pitkin County, County Commisionners - John McBride, in coordination with Director of Planning

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, others

Project cost:

Expected construction cost: $40,000,000

Project stages:

Generative rules for urban growth process Generative rules for layout on the site by users Preliminary Design stage in progress

A form of integrated development of residential and commercial, a pedestrian village, capable of preserving and enhancing the original beauty of the Aspen valley. The project was designed for the permanent residents and employees at the Aspen Airport Business Center, ...
Incrementally-Phased Condominium Community Development 1993 to 1994

Avon, CO, U.S.A.

Development Plan, Designed , Not built

Client:

Mr. Peter Blunt

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, others

Project stages:

Preliminary Design

Residential and vacation condominiums, located outside Aspen, in Colorado, with high-level finishes and interiors, and with community spaces and services. The project included numerous units and it was planned to be developed over a 10-year period. .
New Town of Harbor Hills 2002 to 2005

Brookings, OR, U.S.A.

Master Planning, Designed , Completed in 2005

Client:

Commissioners of Curry County; The City Council of Brookings Oregon - Bill Buchanan

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Randall Schmidt

Project stages:

Generative rules for urban growth process Generative rules for the neighborhood layout process Implementation process

Master Plan to provide information about philosophy, method and intent, in sufficient depth to satisfy the City, County and State officials regarding the entitlement of the land in Harbor Peak, and to provide a basis for that entitlement to be ...

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Articles

Academic Courses

Public Events

American Institute of Architects Research Gold Medal 07/05/1972

Houston, TX, U.S.A.

Award-Honor, Research Gold Medal

Awarded by:

The American Institute of Architects

Presented at:

AIA Annual Convention

The American Institute of Architects awarded to Christopher J. Alexander, professor of Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, the 1972 Research Gold Medal. The first recepient of the award, in recognition of his contributions to “an increased understanding of ...

Visual & Audio Materials

Architectural Lecture Series: The Growth of Order from Small Acts 06/02/1974

Academic, Audio, Tape

Created by:

Christopher Alexander, University of California Berkeley, College of Environmental Design, Department of Architecture, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.

Tape with lecture given at the Department of Architecture, on “what it means to create something;” the duration of the lecture is about one hour and twenty minutes.