2017 Master of Landscape Architecture Candidate
2016 Wendy L. Olson Fellowship Research
North Carolina State University
Fall 2016

DESCRIPTION:

Independent research into the relational structure of the 1972 urban design manual, A Pattern Language, and the technological design opportunities it presents.

OBJECTIVE:

Develop computational methods that connect the content and framework of A Pattern Language to the digital realm.

METHODS:

A Pattern Language consists of 253 patterns used to plan, design, and build a human-centered urban environment. The book divides patterns into 3 sections: Towns, Buildings, and Construction. Each section deals with a different scale of the built environment, from large scale regional planning to the detailed design of individual rooms. All of the patterns are formatted using the same organizational structure. Breaking an individual pattern into its most basic elements creates components that can inform and be used by relational and computational frameworks, creating endless possibilities for integration into emerging technologies.

RESULTS:

This work begins to connect the qualitative metrics and holistic design methods embedded in A Pattern Language to the digital realm. Proofs of concept include a relational database that contains the relationship of every pattern to every other pattern, Python scripts that demonstrate how aspects of the language within the book functions as code-based syntax, and content categorizations for use in machine learning and computer vision.