Title
Notes on the Synthesis of Form (Harvard Paperbacks),Used
Delivery time: 8-12 business days (International)
These notes are about the process of design: the process of inventing things which display new physical order, organization, form, in response to function. This book, opening with these words, presents an entirely new theory of the process of design.In the first part of the book, Christopher Alexander discusses the process by which a form is adapted to the context of human needs and demands that has called it into being. He shows that such an adaptive process will be successful only if it proceeds piecemeal instead of all at once. It is for this reason that forms from traditional unselfconscious cultures, molded not by designers but by the slow pattern of changes within tradition, are so beautifully organized and adapted. When the designer, in our own selfconscious culture, is called on to create a form that is adapted to its context he is unsuccessful, because the preconceived categories out of which he builds his picture of the problem do not correspond to the inherent components of the problem, and therefore lead only to the arbitrariness, willfulness, and lack of understanding which plague the design of modern buildings and modern cities.In the second part, Mr. Alexander presents a method by which the designer may bring his full creative imagination into play, and yet avoid the traps of irrelevant preconception. He shows that, whenever a problem is stated, it is possible to ignore existing concepts and to create new concepts, out of the structure of the problem itself, which do correspond correctly to what he calls the subsystems of the adaptive process. By treating each of these subsystems as a separate subproblem, the designer can translate the new concepts into form. The form, because of the process, will be welladapted to its context, nonarbitrary, and correct.The mathematics underlying this method, based mainly on set theory, is fully developed in a long appendix. Another appendix demonstrates the application of the method to the design of an Indian village.
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⚠️ WARNING (California Proposition 65):
This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
For more information, please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
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Warranty
We provide a 2-year limited warranty, from the date of purchase for all our products.
If you believe you have received a defective product, or are experiencing any problems with your product, please contact us.
This warranty strictly does not cover damages that arose from negligence, misuse, wear and tear, or not in accordance with product instructions (dropping the product, etc.).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the main focus of 'Notes on the Synthesis of Form'? A: The book primarily focuses on the process of design, emphasizing how forms can be adapted to meet human needs through a systematic and piecemeal approach.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of 'Notes on the Synthesis of Form' is Christopher Alexander.
- Q: When was this book published? A: The book was published on October 24, 1964.
- Q: What is the page count of the book? A: The book contains 224 pages.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: The book is available in paperback binding.
- Q: What is the condition of the book being sold? A: The book is in new condition.
- Q: Is there any appendix included in the book? A: Yes, the book includes a long appendix that develops the mathematics underlying the design method and another appendix that demonstrates its application.
- Q: What is the category of this book? A: The book falls under the category of Vernacular.
- Q: What edition of the book is available? A: This listing features the Ninth Printing edition of the book.
- Q: What is the main theory discussed in the book? A: The book discusses a new theory of design that advocates for creating forms based on the context of human needs rather than preconceived notions.