The Urban Pattern

For more than forty years this text has been educating students about the history of city planning and its contemporary practice. The sixth edition brings students up-to-date with new coverage of computer modeling, the new exurbia and megalopolis, seismic issues, hazardous waste, development vs. no growth, environmental concerns, and participatory planning.

"With the same basic philosophy so well received in the first edition, this second edition gives new and added emphasis to the planning function. The revisions are highlighted with an excellent selection of new photographs, and the new census figures are reflected in the presentation. The material in the second edition is considerably more concise and consolidated. New chapters include such important topics as urban renewal and development, new towns, and urban planning as a government function. Features: 1. A wealth of carefully chosen illustrations with extensive and informative captions. 2. A text arrangement that is flexible and adaptable to various academic levels. 3. Arrangement of the book into parts in a manner that permits individual subject treatment. 4. Wide scope and applicability to a variety of fields as a text or reference work. 5. Discussion of contemporary trends in city planning, both in general and in the most important details, with desirable patterns indicated. Although designed to serve as a text and reference book for the student of city growth and planning, the book will also be of special value to professionals. Because of its special chapter and section arrangement, it may be used in a variety of courses in allied fields. It will serve to systematize instruction in the planning field given through departments of architecture, civil engineering, business administration, political science, economics, sociology, and geography. Prerequisites vary according to the level for which the book is used. The authors are indebted to the many who have contributed to the rich sources of information and ideas upon which this book has drawn. We record our sincere gratitude to those who have been quoted and to those from whom illustrations have been obtained." --

You can use this book to design a house for yourself with your family; you can use it to work with your neighbors to improve your town and neighborhood; you can use it to design an office, or a workshop, or a public building. And you can use it to guide you in the actual process of construction. After a ten-year silence, Christopher Alexander and his colleagues at the Center for Environmental Structure are now publishing a major statement in the form of three books which will, in their words, "lay the basis for an entirely new approach to architecture, building and planning, which will we hope replace existing ideas and practices entirely." The three books are The Timeless Way of Building, The Oregon Experiment, and this book, A Pattern Language. At the core of these books is the idea that people should design for themselves their own houses, streets, and communities. This idea may be radical (it implies a radical transformation of the architectural profession) but it comes simply from the observation that most of the wonderful places of the world were not made by architects but by the people. At the core of the books, too, is the point that in designing their environments people always rely on certain "languages," which, like the languages we speak, allow them to articulate and communicate an infinite variety of designs within a forma system which gives them coherence. This book provides a language of this kind. It will enable a person to make a design for almost any kind of building, or any part of the built environment. "Patterns," the units of this language, are answers to design problems (How high should a window sill be? How many stories should a building have? How much space in a neighborhood should be devoted to grass and trees?). More than 250 of the patterns in this pattern language are given: each consists of a problem statement, a discussion of the problem with an illustration, and a solution. As the authors say in their introduction, many of the patterns are archetypal, so deeply rooted in the nature of things that it seemly likely that they will be a part of human nature, and human action, as much in five hundred years as they are today.

Perfect for beginners, this quilting book features simple illustrations and easy-to-follow steps that teach you how to make up to 30 beautiful quilts in a short amount of time! A comprehensive guide for both first-time quilters and those looking for a refresher course, Urban Quilting teaches you everything you need to know about this timeless craft. Each pattern contains instructions for three different quilt sizes, with designs that feature bold colors and geometric shapes that will stand out and look stunning in your home. Urban Quilting includes: 10 quilt designs, each with patterns for 3 sizes, for making up to 30 quilts Beginner-friendly content, including everything you need to know to get started Detailed instructions with clear diagrams so you can learn quickly and easily Insightful information on the history of quilting and how today's quilters are modernizing the craft

Remarkably, more than half of the world's population now lives in cities, and the numbers grow daily as people abandon rural areas. This fully updated and revised seventh edition of the classic text offers readers a comprehensive set of tools for understanding the urban landscape, and, by extension, the world's politics, cultures, and economies. Providing a sweeping overview of world urban geography, noted experts explore the eleven major global regions. Each regional chapter considers urban history, economy, culture, and environment, as well as urban spatial models and problems and prospects. Each begins with two facing pages: a regional map that shows the major cities and a table of basic statistical information about cities and urbanization in each region and a list of ten salient points about that region’s urban experience. Chapters conclude with a list of references, including films and webpages, which can be used by the student and instructor for additional information about specific cities. This edition adds the important new themes of climate change and migration, while continuing to focus specifically on sustainability, water, technology, social and environmental justice, security and conflict, the history of urban settlement, urban planning trends, and daily life. Vignettes of key cities give the reader a vivid understanding of daily life and the "spirit of place." The opening chapter presents an overview of key terms and concepts and explores contemporary world urbanization, and a concluding chapter projects the world's urban future. Liberally illustrated in full color with a new selection of photographs, maps, and diagrams, the text also includes a rich array of textboxes to highlight key topics ranging from migration and immigration to LBGTQ activism, human security, and climate change. Clearly written and timely, Cities of the World will be invaluable for those teaching introductory or advanced classes on global cities, regional geography, the developing world, and urban studies.