
The Timeless Way of Building (1979) - r41nbowcrash
https://archive.org/details/TheTimelessWayOfBuilding
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blueatlas
_" If I build a fireplace for myself, it is natural for me to make a place to
put the wood, a corner to sit in, a mantle wide enough to put things on, an
opening which lets the fire draw.

But, if I design fireplaces for other people - not for myself - then I never
have to build a fire in the fireplaces I design. Gradually, my ideas become
more and more influenced by style, and shape, and crazy notions - my feeling
for the simple business of making fire leaves the fireplace all together."_

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andyjohnson0
Also on Archive.org is Alexander's _A Pattern Language_ [1]. Although that
book is also about the architecture of buildings, it inspired the idea of
software design patterns [2].

[1]
[https://archive.org/details/APatternLanguage](https://archive.org/details/APatternLanguage)

[2]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_design_pattern#Histor...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_design_pattern#History)

~~~
falsedan
It also influenced Steward Brand's _HOW BUILDINGS LEARN: What Happens After
They’re Built_. The BBC's adaptation includes some interview with Alexander
[1].

[1]
[https://youtu.be/ZSaWdp833YM?t=12m57s](https://youtu.be/ZSaWdp833YM?t=12m57s)

~~~
andyjohnson0
An excellent book that I'd highly recommend. I have a copy on a bookshelf not
far from where I'm sat, and your mention of it has prompted me to pull it out
to dip-into later. Thanks!

And Stewart Brand is one of my intellectual heroes.

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skilesare
His nature of order is an amazing read as well:

[http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=...](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-
keywords=nature%20of%20order&linkCode=ur2&tag=everybase-20&url=search-
alias%3Daps&linkId=4ETR7YAFN3D74Z7D)

Reading this besides something like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
is a good exercise in seeing the world a little more clearly.

~~~
oh_sigh
Why is it like 80$? This isn't college...

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akkartik
To all the Christopher Alexander recommendations I'll add _Notes on the
Synthesis of Form_. It's his best book in my not-so-humble opinion, and it's
been under-rated ever since Richard Gabriel called it 'juvenalia':
[https://www.dreamsongs.com/Essays.html](https://www.dreamsongs.com/Essays.html)

~~~
jalfresi
'Notes..' is my all time favourite book. I have a 10 year old, well worn, note
riddled copy that I take with me on every holiday :)

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jngreenlee
I find this one more useful for residential building design, by the same
author:
[http://www.iwritewordsgood.com/apl/set.htm](http://www.iwritewordsgood.com/apl/set.htm)

Available in hardcover on Amazon: [http://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Language-
Buildings-Constructio...](http://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Language-Buildings-
Construction-
Environmental/dp/0195019199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441310086&sr=8-1&keywords=a+pattern+language)

ATWoB is more philosophical, and lest about specific implementation.

APL includes nuggets along these lines: "Therefore: Make a public square much
smaller than you would at first imagine; usually no more than 45 to 60 feet
across, never more than 70 feet across. This applies only to its width in the
short direction. In the long direction it can certainly be longer."

"When they have a choice, people will always gravitate to those rooms which
have light on two sides, and leave the rooms which are lit only from one side
unused and empty.[...]Therefore: Locate each room so that it has outdoor space
outside it on at least two sides, and then place windows in these outdoor
walls so that natural light falls into every room from more than one
direction."

There are 253 patterns in the book, covering governed regions down to building
wall details.

~~~
sthorn
Thumbs up for APL.

Most of the patterns are based on common sense and practical experience.
What's novel is that they're written down and cross-referenced.

I find myself frequently nodding my head in agreement while reading - it's
immensely satisfying to see ideas in concrete form that have been floating
about in my head for years.

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pja
For those who are unclear on the significance of this, Christopher Alexander’s
works were foundational to the pattern movement in software architecture &
design.

There are some links on Ward Cunningham’s software patterns wiki:

[http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ChristopherAlexander](http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ChristopherAlexander)

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carapace
This site is what made me realize that minimal unit for planning had to be at
least "Neighborhood"...

[http://www.livingneighborhoods.org/](http://www.livingneighborhoods.org/)

See also [https://www.patternlanguage.com/](https://www.patternlanguage.com/)

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applecore
Christopher Alexander's _A City is Not a Tree_ is another great essay on
systems thinking.

[http://www.bp.ntu.edu.tw/wp-
content/uploads/2011/12/06-Alexa...](http://www.bp.ntu.edu.tw/wp-
content/uploads/2011/12/06-Alexander-A-city-is-not-a-tree.pdf)

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yellowapple
What is this supposed to be? All I'm getting is some doorslam about
Archive.org's new site design.

~~~
21echoes
Click "try it out" or whatever that big link in the middle says

