Resources
Welcome to the Resource Center. In this room we share our stories and reflections related to our own experiences of making places, as well as those of living in places that are worth remembering and passing on as good lessons for the future. We are now able to share course lectures with you as well.
You are most welcome to get in touch with staff if you have stories you would like to share.
The Nature of Order Webinar: Field Reports In a Pandemic Time May 2020
In May 2020, our Building Beauty webinar students paused to think about how their experiences with the four volumes of The Nature of Order by Christopher Alexander relate to their experiences with the world-wide pandemic. Thanks to Ross Chapin and Kate Ledogar for their work on this video, which summarizes the conversation, and to our webinar participants from Austria, Germany, India, Israel, and the United States, who were willing to share their thoughts.
View the video here.
Dan Palmer: Living Design Process in practice
In April 2020, Dan Palmer spoke to our Nature of Order webinar about his practice in and around Melbourne, Australia, working with gardens and landscapes, both urban and rural. His living design process generates life for people, the land, and rooftop gardens. Dan takes us on a tour of a few of his projects to show us how it is done. A video of his talk can be seen here.
2019 Nature of Order Lectures: Book 4, Final Lecture
On April 29, 2019, guests participated in a round table discussion on the last two chapters of Book 4, The Luminous Ground, and the book as a whole, ending with “Empirical certainty and enduring doubt.”
Ann Medlock, wirter and speaker, and owner of the Medlock house, built by Alexander on Whidbey Island, Washington, USA.
Dan Klyn, information architect and staff member of Building Beauty.
Hajo Neis, professor of architecture at the University of Oregon, USA, and longtime associate of Alexander.
Or Ettinger, professor of architecture at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and staff member of Building Beauty.
Maggie Moore Alexander, on staff at Building Beauty.
2019 Nature of Order Lectures: Book 4, Fifth Lecture
On April 15, 2019, Munishwar Ashish Ganju discussed the two chapters from Book 4, The Luminous Ground: Chapter 10 - Pleasing Yourself, and 11 - The Face of God in the light of ancient Buddhist and Hindu traditions, and the book the Discovery of Architecture written together with Narendra Dengle. Narendra then discusses the role of light, in creating a field of centers. A mirror of the self test of two chapels in the hills above Sorrento is shown and discussed in the light of the two questions presented in these chapters: Is what you are working on, or looking at, a true Gift to God, and is it not-separate from the world around it.
2019 Nature of Order Lectures: Book 4, Fourth Lecture
On April 11, 2019, Alfred Bay, an architect and builder from San Francisco, discussed two chapters, The Goal of Tears, and Making Wholeness Heals the Maker, on the basis of his 40 years experience in building and managing construction projects.
2019 Nature of Order Lectures: Book 4, Third Lecture
On April 8, 2019, Robert Walsh presented The Nature of Order: The Luminous Ground, Chapters 6 and 7, pages 143-240. Robert’s profound grasp of Color and Inner Light is shared with humor and generosity.
2019 Nature of Order Lectures: Book 4, Second Lecture
On April 1, 2019, Narendra Dengle presented The Nature of Order: The Luminous Ground, Chapters 3: The existence of the "I" and Chapter 4: The ten thousand beings (pp. 49-110). The presentation is followed by a discussion of questions put forth to the students by Muni Ashish Ganju, and some important remarks by Nikos Salingaros.
2019 Nature of Order Lectures: Book 4, First Lecture
On March 28, 2019, Nikos Salingaros discussed the beginning of book IV of The Nature of Order: The Luminious Ground. His presentation covers pages 1-48 including the Preface, Chapter 1: Our present picture of the world, and Chapter 2: Clues from the history of art. The presentation is followed by a discussion.
This lecture has now been published as an essay in The New English Review. “Beauty and the Nature of Matter: The Legacy of Christopher Alexander” can be accessed here.