📚 node [[christopher alexander reading group]]
  • [[push]] [[christopher alexander reading group]]
    • [[quote]] We will read from some works of the architect and design theorist Christopher Alexander, with the aim of getting to know the ideas and philosophy associated with the influential book "A pattern language". The term "pattern language" describes an approach to (architectural) design which identifies and abstracts elementary yet ubiquitous design problems, along with solutions for them, and assembles them into a sort of alphabet to be used as a toolbox.
    • [[quote]] This methodology is embedded in a design philosophy which attempts to put humans' needs, desires, and "aliveness" at the center of the design process. Although coming from architecture and urban design, Christopher Alexander's work has aspects which are of a very general, conceptual nature. It has been an influence in other fields, such as software design and music, and perhaps this module can be an opportunity to explore possible inspirations within one's own disciplinary context.
    • [[quote]] Proposed readings: excerpts from the following books by Christopher Alexander: "Notes on the Synthesis of Form"; "The Timeless Way of Building"; "A Pattern Language". Possibly also additional materials.
    • [[the timeless way of building]]
    • [[a pattern language]]
    • [[notes on the synthesis of form]]
⥅ node [[reading-alexander]] pulled by user

Reading Alexander

[[2021-05-26]]

  • I read what we agreed to read :)
  • proposal: design a space following the example in the introductory material? 10-20 patterns combined.
    • [[xxxv]] for example
    • [[xxxviii]] for [[procedure]]
    • [[code]] a generator?
      • fit between patterns seems represented by recommended patterns at higher and lower level?
    • [[armengol]] some problems perhaps
      • we need to imagine a need for building something? what would be the context for the exercise?
  • [[andreas]]
    • would probably recommend people just go to [[a pattern language]] directly, it seems to be self-contained
    • did something with [[a pattern language]] ~1y ago
    • it just seems like previous reading wouldn't help learning how to write your own patterns?
      • [[jonathan]] what would you recommend?
      • the ideological component sometimes doesn't resonate; the patterns themselves, which can be used and changed regardless of ideology, seem more generally useful.
    • [[simon]] this is framed as one big project (the three books). what's interesting: there is some goal of trying to provide a set of tools to shape one's environment.
      • [[notsof]] could almost be computed by a machine
      • whereas [[apl]] is very much grounded
      • topic: what is [[timeless]] and [[beautiful]]. how the environment shapes us as much as we shape the environment.
      • the weakest patterns are the strongly [[utilitarian]]. the stronger ones are "spiritual"
      • some contradictions between patterns
        • he loves dense cities and lively areas
        • but he wants height limits and only building on 50% of the area
      • units per building
      • in a contemporary context a lot of the patterns are very difficult to achieve
      • aside: would be interesting to model fit/misfit between patterns even as we swap in/out some of them
    • pattern: [[filtered light]]
      • mentions how the perception of light gets softened if it's filtered; less high contrast, which is a nice quality. for living spaces softness is nice.
      • film makers think it makes objects more lively: e.g. leaves casting moving shadows.
      • third reason: speculative. stimulates us biologically (?)
        • could be socialized aesthetics instead.
      • when planning windows, this pattern is recommended.
  • [[armengol]]
    • pattern: [[window place]]
      • thought about this pattern within his home
      • previous place had an obviously amazing view -- you could see the [[sagrada familia]]
      • [[zen view]] is mentioned as related to this pattern, though, and it relates with something interesting that happened in the old place. the view was [[normalized]]. it became part of the background; like alexander says.
      • now have to go to a specific place to look at a view now.
    • [[q]] when trying to differentiate between the list of patterns
  • [[jonathan]]
    • [[four stories limit]]
      • ideology aside: main thing that bothered me in general. trying to justify things as [[natural]].
      • "want to find a pattern that looks ridiculous"
      • in zurich: like [[hardau]] towers
      • some justification for this pattern has to do with mental health issues
      • people who live in high rises are less likely to go out into the world
      • feeling connected to the city life
      • [[andreas]] it seems very opinionated, it depends on one's preferences. you might not care about the misfits and have fits with your lifestyle.
      • [[simon]] four floors doesn't seem high density enough for city life. attitude towards skyrises changes a lot across cultures. singapore for example has a very different disposition towards them.
        • most sustainable density is about six floors.
        • the most antisocial aspect of high rises is to have parking-lot-to-living-floor.
        • isolation in high rises is a big problem though.
      • [[andreas]] there is a huge grey area between four floors and high rises
        • zurich proposed having public rooftops and bike lanes between them
  • [[simon]]
    • [[bus stop]]
      • liked: both describing a set of objects and activity/life that emerges around those objects
      • "if the knit together" the system is a good one
      • view things like traffic lights as items of public living
  • [[alice]]
    • [[interior windows]]
    • [[pedestrian street]]
      • social glue in society
      • streets that are "too wide" are antisocial -- but of course nowadays with covid-19 that might be outdated
  • [[eduardo]]

[[2021-05-12]]

  • [[ttwob]]
  • [[lorand]]
    • found himself reading in a less analytical way
    • [[armengol]]
      • the structure itself seems to encourage this
      • "I need to read it fast" yields a different kind of reading too, perhaps
    • [[lorand]] some pieces seem to be a bit rough. but interesting questions
      • the observation that people feel calm in nature -> homogeneity in aesthetics
      • ad hoc/rushed at the end: processes for using patterns for differentiation of space. differentiation vs accumulation
      • some vagueness
    • a bit tragic perhaps: towards the end, neighbors working together to make their houses beautiful. seemed a bit utopian in a modernist sense.
  • a [[pattern]] has a [[context]], a [[problem]] and a [[solution]] that resolves the set of conflicting forces.
  • embodiment as crucial vs the software patterns
  • [[kowloon walled city]]
  • [[tokyo 1960]]
  • [[wabi sabi]]
  • [[lorand]]

[[april]]

[[2021-03-17]]

[[2021-02-28]]

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