Go BackProject Specific Pattern Languages – Specificity and Generality of Pattern Languages
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, the individual acts do not constitute a process of addition, in which performed parts are combined to create a whole; on the contrary, it is a process of unfolding, in which the whole precedes the parts, and actually gives birth to them, by splitting.
The process of unfolding goes step by step, one pattern at a time. Each step brings just one pattern to life.
Thoughts and Arguments Explored and Developed
The generic power of language
Differentiating space – a process of unfolding
Step-by-Step procedure: Sequence of steps for designing a building
Patterns are implemented best by piecemeal growth; emerge gradually and organically
The site is the medium in which design takes its shape, without making a drawing
The building gets its final form during the actual process of construction
Working out the details of the building as construction unfolds
References
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A Pattern Language Which Generates Multi-Service Centers
1968
The first of Alexander’s early works published by the Center for Environmental Structure, notably the first pattern language for a project. It is presented as a system of generating principles, called a pattern language for multi-service centers. It includes 64 ...
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Houses Generated by Patterns
1969
The second of Alexander’s early works published by the Center for Environmental Structure, lays out the process of creating the pattern language for a group of houses designed for an experimental housing competition in Lima, Peru in 1969. It ...
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人間都市, A Human City
1970
“A Human City”, bilingual book, both in Japanese and English, includes the material which first appeared as an exhibit in the Theme Pavilion at the Osaka World’s Fair “Progress and Harmony for Mankind”, in 1970. The book concentrates on ten ...
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Chapter 13. Patterns: Generic Rules for Making Centers, 11 / The System of Patterns Emanates as a Whole
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Chapter 13. Patterns: Generic Rules for Making Centers, 12 / The Eishin School Pattern Language
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Chapter 13. Patterns: Generic Rules for Making Centers, 7/ A New Language for Houses in Peru
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Bronx Multi-Service Center
1968 to
1973
An early study of the use of pattern language in community designed buildings. The Bronx Multi-Service Center is one of the eight centers included in the book "A Pattern Language Which Generates Multi-Service Centers", and presents a prototype for these ...
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Peru Project - Low Cost Housing for the United Nations
1969 to
1970
Master plan for a community of 1500 houses, submitted as one out of twelve other competition entries for the United Nations sponsored international housing competition PREVI (Proyecto Experimental de Vivienda). The Center for Environmental Structure was chosen as the ...
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Stanislaus County Mental Health Center
1970 to
1973
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 ...
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Haworth New Office Furniture System: Letter introducing an in-house sketch of the "Pattern Language for a New Generation of Office Furniture"
05/05/1985
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Eishin Campus - High School: Parents Clubhouse: Forward of a three-page second version of the Pattern Language formulated in meeting between parents and architects; two cover pages of fax transmittals contain explanatory notes and indicate two recipients
18/08/1993
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The Peru Project - Low Cost Housing for the United Nations: Preliminary Design Drawings - Large house floor plans
2 2) Large house second floor plan
01/01/1969
The two floor plans of the large house design.
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The Peru Project - Low Cost Housing for the United Nations: Preliminary Design Drawings - Floor plans
2 2) Small house second floor plan
01/01/1969
The two floor plans of the small house design.
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The Peru Project - Low Cost Housing for the United Nations: Preliminary Design Drawings - Floor plans
2 2) Generic house second floor plan
01/01/1969
The two floor plans of the generic house design.
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A Sublanguage of 70 Patterns for Multi-Service Centers
01/01/1968
Submitted to the Hunts Point Neighborhood Corporation, Hunts Point, Bronx, New York.
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Modesto Community Mental Health Center: Incomplete Pattern Language for Community Mental Health Centers
01/06/1970
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 ...
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Master Plan for the University of Oregon: Theory and Practice
01/08/1971
403-page second draft of a project report on the preparation of a master plan for the University of Oregon. The report has to halves; Part 1 deals with theory and Part 2 deals with practice. Part 1 outlines the theoretical ...
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"Buildings Surround Open Space" Pattern
01/04/1966
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.
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"Eight Beds per Nurse" Pattern
01/01/1967
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 Dec-1970.
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"Thick Walls" Pattern
01/01/1967
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; included in “A Pattern Language”, pattern #196 Thick Walls. Revised in Sep-1970 .
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The Peru Project - Low Cost Housing for the United Nations: Photographs of drawings
3 3) Diagram of one cell with its internal pedestrian street system, parking lots at the edges, and the outdoor room
01/01/1969
Three site plan drawings prepared for the design PREVI competition; the general site plan is supported by larger scale plans highlighting details on proposed house plans, road system, parking lots, and outdoor rooms. They were exhibited at the 14th International Architecture ...
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The Peru Project - Low Cost Housing for the United Nations: Photographs of drawings
9 9) Peru project pattern - Family Room Alcoves
01/01/1969
Sketches drawn to illustrate nine of the sitxy-seven patterns proposed for the design of the project. They were exhibited at the 14th International Architecture Biennale Exhibition: “Office US”.
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The Peru Project - Low Cost Housing for the United Nations: Photographs of drawings
01/01/1969
Close-up image of one residential cell, illustrating the central market located at the center of activity of that the specific community cell.
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The Building History of a Building: The Stanislaus County Mental Health Center
01/09/1980
38-page paper on the design process of the Stanislaus County Mental Health Center in Modesto, designed by the Christopher Alexander and CES on the basis of a pattern language developed for a mental health clinic. Written for the Arch 278b ...
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Arch 207, Spring 1989: Class paper titled "The Personal Workplace: A System of Office Furniture Designed for Comfort - Vol. 10, Office Building"
01/05/1989
45-page paper on “The Nature of the Buildings Which Will Extend the Qualities of the Personal Workplace to the Whole Work Environment”. The paper describes the criteria used for formulating the design process for office-buildings. The criteria were determined by ...