"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."

(Übertragung): "Jedes Pattern beschreibt einerseits ein immer wiederkehrendes Problem einer Umgebung, andererseits die Grundidee der Problemlösung. Dies geschieht in einer Weise, dass man die Lösung unzählige Male wiederverwenden kann, ohne sich jemals exakt zu wiederholen."

BIOGRAPHY

Christopher Alexander was born in Vienna, Austria, and raised in Oxford and Chichester, England. He graduated from Cambridge University, where he studied Mathematics and Architecture. He then obtained a Ph. D. in Architecture at Harvard University. For his Ph. D. Thesis, later published as the book Notes on the Synthesis of Form, he was awarded the first Gold Medal for Research by the American Institute of Architects. Since 1963 he has been Professor of Architecture at the University of California at Berkeley, and Director of the Institute for Environmental Structure. In 1980, Professor Alexander was elected member of the Swedish Royal Academy; and in 1996 he was elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Christopher Alexander is a Trustee of the Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture.

Werke (Auswahl)

• A Pattern Language, ISBN 0195019199
• The Timeless Way Of Building, ISBN 0195024028
• Notes On The Synthesis Of Form, ISBN 0674627512
• The Oregon Experiment, ISBN 0195018249

• The Nature Of Order
• Book 1, The Phenomenon of Life (496 pages, 560 pictures, 160 in color)
• Book 2, The Process of Creating Life (601 pages, 476 pictures, 117 in color)
• Book 3, A Vision of a Living World (560 pages, 700 pictures, 235 in color) in Vorbereitung
• Book 4, The Luminous Ground (376 pages, 239 pictures, 149 in color) in Vorbereitung
• in Druck und vorbestellbar (teuer, ca. $65-85 je Band), http://www.patternlanguage.com/natureoforder/natureoforder.htm
• http://www.math.utsa.edu/sphere/salingar/NatureofOrder.html

Literatur

• HelmutLeitner: Mustertheorie - Einführung und Perspektiven auf den Spuren von Christopher Alexander, Verlag Nausner & Nausner, Graz 2007, ISBN 3-901402-50-0, siehe GründerWiki:MusterTheorie

Alexander schreibt über Patterns:

Each pattern is a three-part rule, which expresses a relation between a certain context, a problem, and a solution.

As an element in the world, each pattern is a relationship between a certain context, a certain system of forces which occurs repeatedly in that context, and a certain spatial configuration which allows these forces to resolve themselves.

As an element of language, a pattern is an instruction, which shows how this spatial configuration can be used, over and over again, to resolve the given system of forces, wherever the context makes is relevant.

• Über Christopher Alexander's Pattern Language
• Christopher Alexander's Patterns
• AcadWiki:ChristopherAlexander aus der Sicht des Architekten

Verschiedene Aspekte der Alexander'schen Sichtweise:

• Pattern WardsWiki:QualityWithoutaName ( = PositiveMuster? LebendigeMuster? QualitätOhneNamen)
• WardsWiki:AntiPattern WardsWiki:DarkPattern ( = AntiMuster? NegativeMuster? DunkleMuster?, siehe AntiPattern)
• WardsWiki:PiecemealGrowth ( = SchrittweisesWachstum )

In der Jazz-Musik:

• Patterns for Jazz, Coker et al., ISBN 0769230172

• A critique, http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/research/publications/hdm/current_issue/16books_saunders.html