A significant influence on my Architectural Design Philosophy, from early on, has been Christopher Alexander. He authored two very special books ; A Pattern Language(as a co-author) and The Timeless Way of Building. A Pattern Language is a sort of nuts and bolts guide to really good architectural design and The Timeless Way of Building is the philosophically inspiring, sort of the spirituality of architecture, if you will, that feeds the soul. I can recommend any person wanting to create/build a home for themselves to look into what these two books have to offer.
The following are some of my favorite quotes of inspiration from these two books:
“Imagine the greatest possible beauty and harmony in the world—the most beautiful place you have ever seen or dreamt of. You have the power to create it, at this very moment, just as you are.”
The Timeless Way of Building (pg 14 )
Christopher Alexander
“Each one of us wants to be able to bring a building or a part of a town to life…It is a fundamental instinct, as much a part of our desire for children. It is quite simply, the desire to make a part of nature, to complete a world which is already made of mountains, streams, snowdrops, and stones, with something made by us, as much a part of nature, and part of our immediate surroundings."
"Each one of us has, somewhere in his heart the dream to make a living world, a universe.
Those of us who have been trained as architects have this desire perhaps at the center of our lives: that one day, somewhere, somehow, we shall build one building which is wonderful, beautiful, breathtaking, a place where people can walk and dream for centuries.
In some form, every person has some version of this dream : whoever you are, you may have the dream of one day building a most beautiful house for your family, a garden, a fountain, a fish pond, a big room with soft light, flowers outside and the smell of new grass.”
The Timeless Way of Building (pg 9 )
Christopher Alexander
The following are some of my favorite quotes of inspiration from these two books:
“Imagine the greatest possible beauty and harmony in the world—the most beautiful place you have ever seen or dreamt of. You have the power to create it, at this very moment, just as you are.”
The Timeless Way of Building (pg 14 )
Christopher Alexander
“Each one of us wants to be able to bring a building or a part of a town to life…It is a fundamental instinct, as much a part of our desire for children. It is quite simply, the desire to make a part of nature, to complete a world which is already made of mountains, streams, snowdrops, and stones, with something made by us, as much a part of nature, and part of our immediate surroundings."
"Each one of us has, somewhere in his heart the dream to make a living world, a universe.
Those of us who have been trained as architects have this desire perhaps at the center of our lives: that one day, somewhere, somehow, we shall build one building which is wonderful, beautiful, breathtaking, a place where people can walk and dream for centuries.
In some form, every person has some version of this dream : whoever you are, you may have the dream of one day building a most beautiful house for your family, a garden, a fountain, a fish pond, a big room with soft light, flowers outside and the smell of new grass.”
The Timeless Way of Building (pg 9 )
Christopher Alexander