Plenary at Purplsoc, Hermann Czech, architect, translated the works of Christopher Alexander into German.
- See bio in German at https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Czech , English translation through http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Czech
This digest was created in real-time during the meeting, based on the speaker’s presentation(s) and comments from the audience. The content should not be viewed as an official transcript of the meeting, but only as an interpretation by a single individual. Lapses, grammatical errors, and typing mistakes may not have been corrected. Questions about content should be directed to the originator. The digest has been made available for purposes of scholarship, posted by David Ing.
At PURPLSOC (Pursuit of Pattern Languages for Societal Change) 2015, Danube University Krems, Austria
Introduction by Richard Sickinger
Translated A Pattern Language
Alexander translated pattern as German word muster
- A few German words with muster don’t mean pattern (e.g. ideal husband), but most translate as pattern
Muster-Sprache as Pattern Language, without hyphen in German would mean Perfect Language
Alexander’s, The Linz Cafe
- The only one that was simultaneously published in German and English
- Alexander himself chose the photographs
- Ornament
- At first, seems like wallpaper, but each ornament was handpainted
- 119 Arcades **, two stars mean pretty sure it’s a valid pattern
- Paragraph starts with description of larger scales (and at bottom, will describe smaller scales)
- Middle paragraph of how people with interact with the pattern
- Then some diagrams
- Therefore … what you’re advised to do
- At the very end, the patterns at a smaller scale
Book has this character
Covers of American version of the book has an imprint, like the bible in a hotel
- In German edition, couldn’t get the soft cover as per American, it’s stiff in the German style
Older than the work on the pattern language, is work on the nature of order, “A City is Not a Tree”
- Perception of properties of things overlap
- Not a pure tree, has crossovers
- Perception is also attributed to society, which also has never been argued strictly hierarchically
In Notes on the Synthesis of Form, designs are so complicated that can’t be solved all at once, even with computers
- Elements are design problems
- Inter-related in different rates
- Preface: The idea of a diagram, or pattern, is very simple …..
- “I use aesthetic criteria for the validity of a theory all the time”
- “Design methods” and theory — but theory is not separated from design
Photo of hotel bathroom
Architectural drawing
Levels of design thinking leads to questions of design
Earlier work by Rose: who looks out for the whole?
Philosophy deals with objectivity and realism
- Architecture doesn’t deal with uniformity and homogeneity, it deals with heterogeneity
Central Pavilion, 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale, designed by Rem Koolhaas with collaborators
- Can compare Rem Koolhaas with Christopher Alexander
With Alexander, A New Theory of Urban Design
- Can separate decisions, e.g. can’t decide now, should wait until later
- With students, development of a not-reality city core
- Challenge of working individually or together: design decisions by one peron or many
In brief. David Ing. 