Book Three

[droqen]

"The temptation to say -- keep the cars out, make it all pedestrian -- is far too harsh. . . . In many places, it is just the cars which create the life . . . But undoubtedly, the pure pedestrian space in which there are no cars is also vital. . .

So, in support of the emergent unfolding of the hulls of public space, we need a specific group of patterns, or generic centers, that tell us how the cars are going to work. . . .

How much parking is there? How visible or invisible is the parking? How is it to be paid for? What density is to be allowed[?]" (77)

i can taste christopher alexander's optimism and clarity of belief: the way to design something that works is simply to ask and then answer every single question perfectly. and i too have this optimism, this clarity. it is infectious, in part because i do not know anything about architecture but also in part because i feel it myself sometimes, the desire to do things in the right order when others, when even i, might insist that we do not have time for this, when there seems to be pressure to move on regardless. it is inspirational to a designer to say that, actually, problems can be solved if you just solve them all in the right way. it is addictive, it is life-affirming. i do not know if it is realistic but perhaps i can let go of that attachment to reality if it produces good results in my life, and at least does not cause too great harm.

i do not think it causes too great harm to think about things first, well, instead of rushing into them, but i also think the way that christopher alexander advocates for thinking about things is very good, is one-step-at-a-time, involves getting your hands dirty and trying things out so that the feeling comes unbidden, comes inevitably, so that you do not become trapped in an imaginary world but become rooted in the real one, just one step at a time, slowly and steadily. commit to decisions early, just one at a time, and in the right order.