Necessity of space

[douglas germann]

Christy--

Wow! You have left me saying Wow!

What an evocative notion--the space is alive. Is this true? Can we make
it so? Can we at least meet it so?

There are excerpts of Alexander's 4th book here:
http://books.google.com/books?id=6CIHB3_1tLMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=christopher+alexander+nature+of+order#PPA1,M1

I have found his writing evocative as well. His books are huge, and sell
by the pound. Now I have to mortgage my house to get these books....

What do you suppose might be the recursive structures built up in open
space?

Harrison said that it takes a lifetime to explore open space, and here
for me is a new main artery.

Catherine, I like your image of a porous embrace. How do you see time
fitting into this living space of recursive structures? Could you say a
little more, please?

Still pondering....

			:- Doug.




On Tue, 2009-05-05 at 23:09 -0700, Christy Lee-Engel wrote:
> Hi dear Doug,
>  
> Well, your question reminds me of hearing friends talk about architect
> Christopher Alexander's work, in which he emphasizes that "space must
> be considered an almost living entity – a kind of stuff which,
> depending on the recursive structures that are built up in it, becomes
> progressively more and more alive."
> 
> So that space can be more alive or less alive.
> 
> I haven't read Alexander's 4-Volume "The Nature of Order" yet, and so
> I don't know what "these fifteen properties" are - but this quote from
> a book review makes me want to read it and find out!:
> 
> "Systems in space which have these fifteen properties to a strong
> degree will be alive, and the more these properties are present, the
> more the systems which contain them will tend to be alive." 
> 
> 
> http://natureoforder.com/overview.htm
> 
> 
> love & blessings,
> 
> Christy
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> On 5/5/09, douglas germann <76066.515 at compuserve.com> wrote: 
>         Hi space dancers:
>         
>         Recently someone pointed us to a poem about how open spaces
>         are
>         necessary for a fire. It has had me pondering.
>         
>         At first I said, Sure, she is speaking of oxygen. Fires need
>         oxygen. Now
>         I am not so sure that is what she meant, or at least what is
>         true. So I
>         am asking you my friends, what you have observed.
>         
>         Just how important is the physical space for opening space? I
>         am not
>         talking about amenities like chairs and windows and air, nor
>         about the
>         exact number of square meters needed per person (this is
>         cultural: some
>         cultures want to be close enough to feel each other's breath;
>         some want
>         more distance). In Open Space Online we have a metaphorical
>         space for
>         our chats; in face to face, we have that physical space. Is
>         that space
>         in the center of the circle a separate, unnoticed but
>         essential, element
>         in conversation?
>         
>         The flames need to lick upwards, the heat needs someplace to
>         go, the
>         light needs to escape. The betweens are necessary to give
>         birth to the
>         what and who is emerging from our collective. What is the role
>         of space?
>         
>                                        :- Doug.
>         
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