1.
FIFTEEN FUNDAMENTAL PROPERTIES
NOT-SEPARATEDNESSECHOESROUGHNESS SIMPLICITY AND INNDER CALM
DEEP INTERLOCK AND AMBIGUITY
LEVELS OF SCALE STRONG CENTERS BOUNDARIES ALTERNATING REPETITION POSITIVE SPACE
GOOD SHAPE LOCAL SYMMETRIES CONTRAST GRADIENTS
THE VOID

2.
THE NATURE OF ORDER
THE PHENOMENON OF LIFE THE PROCESS OF CREATING LIFE A VISION OF A LIVING WORLD THE LUMINOUS GROUND
WHOLENESSAND THE
THEORY OF MAKING CENTERS

3.
CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER
Do what you can to establish a world
government, with a thousand independent
regions, instead of countries.
Christopher Alexander
A Pattern Language, 1977
To you, mind of no mind, in whom the
timeless way was born.

4.
DAILY WORK EXPERIENCE?
see
hear
smell
taste
feel

5.
LEVELS OF SCALE
The way that a
strong center is
made stronger partly
by smaller strong
centers contained in
it, and partly by its
larger strong centers
which contain it.
Excellent leves of scale: here the
levels are beautiful and really
work.
This door seems to have levels of
scale, but they don’t really
work.

6.
STRONG CENTERS
The way that a
strong center is
made stronger
partly by smaller
strong centers
contained in it, and
partly by its larger
strong centers
which contain it.

7.
BOUNDARIES
Outlines focus attention on
the center.

8.
ALTERNATING REPETITION
Repeating various elements
creates a sense of order and
harmony.

9.
POSITIVE SPACE
The background should
reinforce rather than
detract from the center.
The Nolli plan of Rome:
hundreds of positive
spaces.

10.
GOOD SHAPE
Simple forms create an
intense, powerful center.
Japanese shrine. The
shape is magnificent, it
needs no comment.
Ottoman velvet. Circles
are powerful elementary
shapes in their own right.

11.
LOCAL SYMMETRIES
Organic, small-scale
symmetry works better
than precise, overall
symmetry.
Alhambra plan: marvel of
centers formed by a
thousand combinations,
yet with beautiful
symmetrical local order.

12.
DEEP INTERLOCK AND AMBIGUITY
Looping, connected
elements promote unity
and grace.

13.
CONTRAST
Unity is achieved with
visible opposites.

14.
GRADIENTS
The proportional use of
space and pattern creates
harmony.
Beautiful gradients in a
cornice molding.
Roofs of a Norwegian
stave church.

15.
ROUGHNESS
Texture and imperfections
convey uniqueness and life.
Persian bowl showing
roughness.

16.
ECHOES
Similarities should repeat
throughout a design.
Trulli houses at
Alberobello. Steep angles
in combination with round
cones.

17.
THE VOID
Empty spaces offer calm
and contrast.
Mosque plan with large
void square.

18.
SIMPLICITY AND INNER CALM
Use only essentials; avoid
extraneous elements.
Shaker boxes.

19.
NOT-SEPARATEDNESS
Designs should be
connected and
complementary, not
egocentric and isolated.
A path which is connected
to the earth.

20.
FIFTEEN
FUNDAMENTAL
PROPERTIES IN
NATURE

21.
LEVELS OF SCALE

22.
STRONG CENTERS

23.
BOUNDARIES

24.
ALTERNATING REPETITION

25.
POSTIVE SPACE

26.
GOOD SHAPE

27.
LOCAL SYMMETRIES

28.
DEEP INTERLOCK AND AMBIGUITY

29.
CONTRAST

30.
GRADIENTS

31.
ROUGHNESS

32.
ECHOES

33.
THE VOID

34.
SIMPLICITY AND INNER CALM

35.
NOT-SEPARATEDNESS