David asked: > Question: Has anyone spoken to people in the Architecture world and > about their thoughts on Patterns. We seem to admire Alexander, but do > they? And how are they using them if at all?
I recently used a quote from Brand's book to challenge IAs to think about combining design patterns and process patterns. The quote speaks of a collection of architectural design patterns, put together by some New York architects: "in New York State, architects [..] have developed a database on roof design and performance. The database tracks a growing number of the state's 10,000 buildings, recording variables of location, design conditions, specified components, testing results, and the history of problems and their solutions. By correlating design information with performance problems, the architects identify patterns of success and failure." (the slides for that EuroIA presentation, "Processes + Patterns - best practices on steroids" - with the challenge for IAs on slide 60&61 - are on Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/pboersma/processes-patterns. Comments are welcome there or on the post on my blog: http://www.peterboersma.com/blog/2007/09/processes-patterns-euroia-2007.html or here) I also seem to remember from Stewart Brand's "How Buildings Learn" (but can't find the right page; he references Alexander a lot!) that most architects now hate Alexanders work or don't know it, and only a handful appreciate it and follow or expand it. Another quote from "How Buildings Learn" says something about how willing architects are to learn from what works and what doesn't: 'I recall asking one architect what he learned from his earlier buildings. "Oh, you never go back!" he explained, "It's too discouraging." [..] In a remarkable study of fifty-eight new business buildings near London, researchers found that in only one case in ten did the architect ever return to the building - and then with no interest in evaluation.' (page 66) I have little hope that architects maintain pattern libraries... Peter -- Peter Boersma | Senior Interaction Designer | Info.nl http://www.peterboersma.com/blog | http://www.info.nl ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://gamma.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://gamma.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://gamma.ixda.org/help
