Replies

1. 
   georgeolivergo | Apr 18, 2002 04:43am | #1

   those are good Jerrald but my favorite of the series so far is 'The Production of Houses', which I think gives more psychological insight into the relationships between builders, architects, and clients.

   it's interesting that you're thinking about information architecture; Alexander was originally, I believe, a scholar in higher mathematics before he turned to architectural theory.

   best, GO

1. 
   JerraldHayes | Apr 18, 2002 06:02am | #2

   As I mentioned I read those two books when I read that article years ago. I went looking for them yesterday in the shelves downstairs and I will be most bummed if it turns out I loaned the to someone and that's why I can't find them. I'll make a more thorough search this weekend because they got me thinking again on all that information architecture stuff again. Stirred up something in my head for sure.

   I'll look for The Production of Houses this weeknd in the bookstores on your recomendation. Thanks GO. I let you know what I've learned when I've read it too.

   Forum hint:

   Shift Click on Discussions to

   Open Them in a New Window!

   ""The

   reasonable man adapts himself to the world;

   the unreasonable one persists in

   trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore

   all progress depends on the

   unreasonable man." -George Bernard

   Shaw"

1. 
   woodguy99 | Apr 19, 2002 05:23pm | #3

   Jerrald, I am almost finished reading A Pattern Language for the first time.  I've been at it for over a year (not continuously).  I think it's an incredible book, full of extremely insightful, original, and practical ideas.  A few of them seem a little 1970's hippy-dippy.  Many of the ideas seem to be making it into current home design and city planning.  If the market was not so flooded with design books I bet it would be a classic and a must-read for any design student.

   Have you read Sarah Susanka's books?  I noticed a LOT of similar ideas between her books and Alexander's.

1. 
   larsdjensen | Apr 19, 2002 07:45pm | #4

   To fans of Alexander and Susanka, I'd recommend "The Good House" by Johnson, Silverstein, and Winslow. It talks about how to invest buildings with that elusive "special" quality by simultaneously contrasting and linking areas in various ways. Short, highly readable, an underappreciated gem.

2. 
   JerraldHayes | Apr 30, 2002 04:01am | #5

   Mike, from reading your postings here and over at JLC over time I would say

   it sort of figures that you'd be interested in a book like that. I had seen

   your work on your website and when I read on JLC that you were relocating I

   was sort of bummed to here it was back to Maine and not down here to the NYC

   suburbs. Would have loved to work with you on something. You have great taste

   I think. How did the relocation work out?

   Refresh my memory too since you read the book more recently that I isn't there

   something in there somewhere regarding when building on a fresh lot to site

   the building on the worst location on the lot. That way looking out from the

   structure you look out at the best parts of the lot. I think that was something

   I picked up from but I can't recall for sure. Save me the effort of looking for

   the book.

   I saw Sarah Susanka interviewed on Charlie Rose a while back and went out and

   bought her book the next day and have continued to read all her stuff since

   then too. I really like her line of thinking. I also have a couple copies of

   her books that I loan to potential clients in the early stages of project planning

   since I think they are so valuable. (The

   Not So Big House : A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live & Creating

   the Not So Big House: Insights and Ideas for the New American Home). On

   the project I working on now the owner mentioned both Alexander and Susanka

   as influences in how she (they) choose to approach their home.

   LARSDJENSEN  I got "The

   Good House" for Christmas maybe two years ago and somehow it stayed

   out in the living room and became a coffee table book and I never really looked

   at it until you made mention of it the other day. Looks pretty good and I should

   feel embarrassed having left it there without looking at it. Thanks for mentioning

   it.

   "Do not go where the path may lead, go

   instead where there is no path and

   leave a trail."-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

2. 
   ecomma | Apr 30, 2002 05:14am | #6

   Yes, it was required reading in architecture school at Mississippi State University