Pattern Language #159 Light on Two Sides of Every Room Problem – ‘ When they have a choice, people will always gravitate to those rooms which have light on two sides, and leave the rooms which are lit from only one side unused and empty’ p. 747. ‘In rooms lit on one side the glare […]
Read More...‘A Pattern Language’ by Christopher Alexander is a collection of patterns found in well-designed living spaces. I applied many of these patterns to my studio design. Pattern #200 Open Shelves The Problem – ‘Cupboards that are too deep waste valuable space, and it always seems that you want what is behind something else’. The Solution […]
Read More...Pattern Language #134 ‘If there is a beautiful view, don’t spoil it by building huge windows that gape incessantly at it. Instead, put the windows which look onto the view at places of transition – along paths, in hallways, in entryways, on stairs, between rooms. If the view window is correctly placed, people will see a […]
Read More...Continuing with a diary about how I use spaces in my new studio, as requested, I have used the crawl space. During the Green Shed Open House, a friend offered me some of her Japanese indigo harvest. How wonderful. I visited her and came back with many large bundles of freshly cut indigo. I couldn’t deal […]
Read More...Pattern Language # 116 Cascade of Roofs Few buildings will be structurally and socially intact, unless the floors step down towards the ends of the wings, and unless the roof, accordingly forms a cascade (p. 566). The studio, relative to the house, is a small and simple building yet the architect, Jonathan Aitken, managed to […]
Read More...Pattern Language #110 Main Entrance Placing the main entrance (or main entrances) is perhaps the single most important step you can take during the evolution of the building plan. The position of the main entrances controls the layout of the building. It controls the movement to and from the building, and all other decisions about […]
Read More...Pattern Language #107 Wings of Light Modern buildings are often shaped with no concern for natural light – they depend almost entirely on artificial light. But buildings which displace natural light as the major source of illumination are not fit places to spend the days. The studio is designed to have light entering the building […]
Read More...In an earlier post, I explained how I have used The Pattern Language design method for the studio and the Back Yard Project. The first pattern I used was #104 Site Repair. Next I used #105 South Facing Outdoors. The back of the house faces south/south-east. I needed to place the studio so it too […]
Read More...The construction of the sunny room has begun. It is called the sunny room according to the design book A Pattern Language. It will be where I will sit and hand stitch, read, have tea and think. This week the carpenters also built the porch and arcade that run along the west side of the […]
Read More...For my studio design I started with pattern 104 Site Repair. ‘Buildings must always be built on those parts of the land which are in the worst condition, not the best.’ The idea is the building will improve the site and leave the beautiful places in tact. We have a problematic area in our back […]
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