Christopher Alexander & the space we are shaping
douglas germann
76066.515 at compuserve.com
Tue Sep 8 18:28:48 PDT 2009
Becky--
Many thanks.
Yes, I read A Pattern Language probably 10 or 15 years ago. The set I am
reading now, The Nature of Order, was written 25 to 30 years later (up
to at least 2002), and offers where Alexander's thought had progressed
from there. He makes many references to the Eishin campus in these
books. I am glad to see more photos of it on that Web page you linked.
Too bad that the final version of the pattern language is not available.
I like reading his kind of poetry!
One of the things he distinguishes is a "pattern language" from a "form
language," and I wonder if what you are referring to in your x, y, z
wording might be a form language?
I guess I am not sure what a mental rule is, and what examples you might
give of mental rules.
Thanks, Becky!
:- Doug.
On Tue, 2009-09-08 at 17:28 +0100, Becky Bloom wrote:
> Doug,
>
> What really matters are the mental rules that determine 'the DNA' (the
> enfolded order*) of each physical space, that *would* have an
> enhancing effect on 'Opening Space' for instance --not a/the exact
> predetermined geometry/form of space itself. < Apropos you may want to
> read A Pattern Language at some point, also by Chris Alexander (at
> al.) >
>
> The same mental rules could generate shapes of different forms as in
> each case, order does not unfold in void -- its unfolding is affected
> by 'local' conditions (geography, culture etc).
>
> Along the same lines, the enfolded order of each Open Space event as
> it unflods --differently every time -- affects the existing structure
> of a space shaped in a x, y, z way. Then site, space, participants and
> ideas end up forming a coherent meaningful 'whole'. But this 'whole'
> would have different physical properties and outcome even if OS events
> are repeated in the same room and under the same conditions.
>
> You may also want to read how the design (site and buildings) of the
> Eishin School (Japan) affected the knowledge management and the
> academic performance in that specific student community. You will be
> able to find some analogies with OS (Unfortunately I haven't got any
> links of relevent lit.)
>
> Enjoy your reads.
>
>
> -b.
>
> * See David Bohm
>
> 2009/9/8 douglas germann <76066.515 at compuserve.com>
> Artur--
>
> Thank you for helping me think this through.
>
> I have been reading further in Christopher Alexander and find
> myself in
> a chapter where he speaks of the mass and the space of a
> building as
> interlocking. This gives me a new light, I think, on my
> question and on
> your response.
>
> What the question asks is subtle but for all that very real.
> We are
> shaping some space and the circle, the wall, the law, the
> diversity are
> the things with which we shape that space: they are the form,
> the mass.
> But I want to look at the space itself: what is its shape?
>
> This takes a change in perspective, much like an artist
> looking at the
> negative space that surrounds a maple leaf. We know the shape
> of the
> circle and the breathing in and breathing out from small to
> large
> groups; what shape is that which meets this shape?
>
> Here we are probably left to using word pictures, stories and
> the like.
> I remember someone once using "banter" to describe one
> characteristic of
> the space we are shaping. What is the shape of the space we
> are
> touching?
>
> :- Doug.
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, 2009-09-06 at 11:22 -0700, Artur Silva wrote:
> > Hi, Doug:
> >
> > In my opinion, what gives shape to the space are what I call
> the
> > foundations of OST: the circle, the invitation, diversity,
> the Law,
> > etc. In fact, we build the garden.
> >
> > The "thing" that the organization or community desires to
> create is
> > the content, or the building. That is made possible by the
> OST design
> > and foundations we have created - the garden, as you said.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Artur
> >
> > PS: For more about OST "foundations" make a search in the
> OSLIST
> > Archives.
> > --------------
> >
> > --- On Sun, 9/6/09, douglas germann
> <76066.515 at compuserve.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: douglas germann <76066.515 at compuserve.com>
> > Subject: [OSLIST] Christopher Alexander & the space
> we are
> > shaping
> > To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > Date: Sunday, September 6, 2009, 10:20 AM
> >
> > Hi--
> >
> > Still reading Christopher Alexander and finding lots
> of
> > parallels to OS:
> >
> > Most important of all, it was the space
> (more than the
> > building)
> > which was being formed. That flies against
> > 20th-century
> > awareness, which places too much emphasis on
> > buildings. What
> > mattered about the building is the
> contribution it
> > makes to the
> > formation of shaped, coherent, public space.
> That was
> > where the
> > inspiration came from, and it was that—later
> —which
> > made it
> > possible to make the building beautiful.
> Christopher
> > Alexander,
> > The Nature of Order: An Essay on the Art of
> Building
> > and The
> > Nature of the Universe, Book Three: A Vision
> of a
> > Living World,
> > p 138
> >
> > In another instance, he says that in designing a
> home, it is
> > best to
> > design the garden first: when that is placed in the
> most
> > health-giving,
> > nurturing spot, then the house is made that much
> better, that
> > much more
> > wonderful. Garden first!
> >
> > The question this raises for me for OS is: most
> often the
> > communities in
> > which we are opening space want to accomplish some
> *thing*.
> > This thing
> > is Alexander's building. But he does not look first
> at the
> > building;
> > rather he tries to shape public space--give it
> volume, life.
> > What are we
> > trying to shape when we open space?
> >
> > It is easy for me to throw in a glib "we simply are
> there to
> > open
> > space," but I think the inquiry needs to go deeper
> than that.
> > What is
> > the shape of opened space? What makes it coherent?
> What are
> > the factors
> > which give it shape?
> >
> > :- Doug.
> >
> > *
> >
> >
> > * *
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