Abstract

GeoDesign and A Pattern Language
Track: GeoDesign
Authors: HOWARD WARD, Curtis White, Curtis White, Curtis White

In 1977, Christopher Alexander published "A Pattern Language" which described a variety of architecture-related design problems, each of which occurs over and over again in our environment. It then described the core of the solution to that problem as a design "pattern" that can be realized in many ways without ever being repeated exactly. These patterns applied at all levels of design from the very large (regional) to the very small (details of house construction). The patterns that apply at regional to neighborhood scales appear quite relevant to the concept of rating GeoDesigns. This paper explores the idea of using GIS to implement particular design patterns as a way of judging how "good" a particular GeoDesign solution is.