“Each pattern describes a problem which occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, In such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice.”

– Christopher Alexander, A Pattern Language, 1977

Christopher Alexander Architect, Mathematician, Design Theorist

1936 Wien, 1938 family emigrated to EnglandStudies:

Cambridge: Bachelor in Architecture, Master in MathematicsHarvard: first dissertation in architecture → Gold Medal for Research

Professor at the University of Berkeley: Institute „Center for Environmental Studies“

- 200 building projects - 14 books - many awards,academy member USA & Swedennow: professor emeritus; Sussex

Periods of Alexander's Works / 14 Books1964 1975-1993 2003-2005

form&function,mathematics

learning from traditions / projects

learning from natureparallel to architecture2013

Musterentwicklung als Erkenntnisprozess

eine Mustersprache → viele Mustersprachen

256 Patterns of Architecture

(1977)

23 Patterns of Software Architecture(2000 Patterns in the Software Almanach)

136 Patterns ofSocial Activism

48 Patterns of Organizational

Development

Pattern Language: a literary genre for nonfictional writingto produce and disseminate experiential knowledge

... many books, papers & conferences

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How can we achieve Optimal Design?

the living city (architecture, landscape, village)

the living artefact (software, music, story, movie, painting)

the living organization and community (enterprise, project, team, commons, relationships)

The living SELF (to feel alive, unfolding, free)

Discovery 1: Not Beauty but Lebendigkeit should be optimized

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How can we achieve Optimal Design?

Discovery 2: there is an Objective Feeling of

Lebendigkeit

Comparison Judgement – „Lebendigkeit“ (1)

Which system can you identify yourself better with?Which system mirrors more your self, what you are and want to be?

Which system are you more in resonance with?

Comparison Judgements – „Lebendigkeit“ (3)

Which system can you identify yourself better with?Which system mirrors more your self?

Which system are you more in resonance with?

Properties of Living Structures

Strong Centre Contrast Difference

Good Form Adaptation

Boundary

VoidOpen Space

Levels of Scale

Proportion

Gradient

EchoSimilarity

RoughnessIndividuality

Deep InterlockAmbiguity

Simplicity Inner Calm

Non-SeparatenessConnectedness

Local Symmetry

Positive SpaceComplementarity

AlternatingRepetition

Principles of Living Processes

Step-by-Step Reversibility(Quick Error Undo)

Direct Improvement

Structure PreservingTransformation

New things emerge from the Known

Healing Step

All are Winners(No Losers)

Open Process(Pull of

Participation)

ResonanceLebendigkeit / QUAN

Precious Sequenceof Steps

Holistic System View(Container Hierarchy)

Examples for Pattern Forms (There are many ...)

Christopher Alexander (Architecture)

Pattern Name (Title)

Internal Ranking

Picture

Context

Problem

Forces

Solution

Resulting Context

Kent Beck Form(Software)

Pattern Name (Title)

Context

Problem

Forces

Solution

Resulting Context

Peter Baumgartner (Education)

Pattern Name

Picture

Context

Problem

Forces

Solution

Stumbling Blocks

Pros & Cons

Examples

User Roles

Tools

Related Patterns

References

You can ...... take a form that fits you... follow some famous example, or ... create your own

Ethic: a living relationships of mutual development („to care & to share“)

architect-user-relationshipdesigner-user-relationshippractitioner-patient-relationship

teacher-student-relationshipmother-child-relationshipCoach-sportsperson-relationship ...

Each Me-Other-Relationship Joy in exchange & resonance + in mutual development