Christopher Alexander: A Primer [video] | Hacker News Reader

Christopher Alexander: A Primer [video]

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48 pointsmsmithstubbs11 comments

In case you also read the comments first and wonder who this is:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Alexander

> Christopher Wolfgang Alexander is a widely influential British-American architect and design theorist, and currently emeritus professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

More relevant to the HN crowd, he invented the general concept of a "pattern language" and described a set of patterns for architecture.

The Gang of Four took that concept, hunted down a set of patterns they found in software architecture, and wrote "Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software" based on it, one of the most famous books in programming.

If you have any interest in human-centered architecture or design in general, Pattern Language and The Nature of Order are worth reading. They're not quick reads that you can easily summarize though.

I’m neither an architect nor a software engineer, but every six months or so I flip through A Pattern Language just to help imagine buildings I’ve never been in. It’s a beautiful book.

I read Notes on the Synthesis of Form and I loved it. Then I read A Pattern Language... damn son.

I recently bought The Battle for the Life and Beauty of the Earth. Within the first 2 pages I was already hooked. But in fairness, It's because I think we are two minds alike so I hardly disagree with him... which I think it's bad.

Related: There was a recent discussion on HN [1] of an article in which someone described their process for designing a new home, and the author recommended “The Timeless Way of Building” by Christopher Alexander as one of their inspirations. I’ve since started reading the book and found it very inspiring so far. I haven’t read “A Pattern Language” yet, but my impression is that “The Timeless Way” is focusing a bit more on the “why” rather than the “how”.

[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23881363

Another reading suggestion along those lines is "The design of design" by Fred Brooks (of Mythical Man Month fame). He discusses design approaches as uses his process of building his own house as the primary example:

https://www.amazon.com/Design-Essays-Computer-Scientist/dp/0...

I don't remember where I read it (sorry), but I recall that "The Timeless Way of Building" and "A Pattern Language" were supposed to be, or were conceived as, one book. But it would've been way too long, so it was split up. Generally, I think you're right: "TTWoB" is sort of the set up to "APL", motivating why "APL" is useful, and telling you how to use it. I remember I used to be more drawn to "APL" because you can just open it up anywhere, and since the patterns are so short, you just read a little bit and get inspired. It's bite-sized fun! But when I finally read "The Timeless Way of Building", things really clicked. "APL" is really illuminated by digesting "TTWoB" first. (I also think "APL" is more useful read cover to cover, though nothing wrong with taking some bite-sized inspiration once in a while :) )

So, I guess, besides just agreeing with you, sort of also saying, keep reading "TTWoB", soak it up, then you'll be primed for "APL". It's such a fun journey! (If you can't tell, I'm a big admirer of Christopher Alexander :) )

I found Christopher Alexander's The Timeless Way of Building through a recommended list on HN, and it ended up changing how I think about software architecture and life in general. I can't recommend it enough.

Tangentially related: there's a HN thread now on "Townscape" [0], a game with no goals, no levels, no enemy, etc - you can simply build cities and villages by clicking around.

[0] https://store.steampowered.com/app/1291340/Townscaper/

Alexander's The Timeless Way of Building is probably one of the top 3 things I have ever read on any topic, maybe my favorite thing I've ever read.

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