Literary Interior Design A PATTERN LANGUAGE by Christopher Alexander

Literary Interior Design A PATTERN LANGUAGE by Christopher Alexander For the first time in my adult life I live in a house. Granted, I dont own it; I live in a house on  the campus of the private school in Baltimore County where my husband works. But its as close as Im ever going  to come to being a mogul of  real estate and its tantalizing. I get to say, We need throw pillows, and my family takes me seriously. The basement is  finished. Like, with  carpet. So  Im in search of style.  Its not my strong suit. But I have help. In surveying the living rooms multiplicity  of Ikea sectionals from the As Is clearance  section of our local, I dont ask  myself, What Would Frank Lloyd Wright Do?  I ask myself, What Would Christopher Alexander Do? He the  80-something activist architect, professor  emeritus at UC Berkeley, creator  and defender of humane spaces, author of the seminal 1977 work on New Urbanism, A Pattern Language.  His work has influenced computer science and religion. A Pattern Language is divided into 253 lyrical tone poems, patterns as Alexander calls them. He space-cowboys  large-scale  urban development and the  planning of towns:  the goal  should promote citizenship, interconnectedness, sustainability, walkability and beauty.  And he is also a masterful miniaturist. There  are little gems about the best design of small intimate spaces. Homes. Rooms. Gardens.  A fireplace and a hearth is vital:  Fire is an emotional touchstone, comparable to trees, other peopleand the sky. Alexanders world is inspirational psychology, using construction materials and the layout of space. I took  copious notes. I moved my desk from  the wall to the window, to  have a view of life.  His patterns made sense to me. The places in my life that Ive loved best to be in followed them with grace and naturalness: glimpses of other rooms, a sitting circle, a sunny place, windows which open wide, child caves, and an overgrown garden. The essay the  marriage bed from the couples realm is so unabashedly romantic it made me cry sweet joy-tears.  Read it  at a  wedding or a renewal of vows and youll bring down the house. ____________________ Expand your literary horizons with New Books!, a weekly newsletter spotlighting 3-5 exciting new releases, hand-picked by our very own Liberty Hardy. Sign up now!