Its Ageless Character
Original term: Its Ageless Character | Chapter/location: 26 | Chapter start page in the English edition’s table of contents: 511
Definition and core idea
A quality that is not the same as passing fashion or a superficial imitation of a historical style; in this theory it comes from the fit of relations, response to conditions and a sense of coherence.
Explanation and elaboration
A contemporary building can create a sense of permanence and familiarity. By contrast, copying historical façades and details does not guarantee that a building suits its place or its users’ needs. One can examine the durability of use, the possibility of maintenance, the relation to activities and the dependence on fashion.
Notes and limits of interpretation
Caution in attribution
“Timeless” is an evaluative, interpretive concept; it should not turn into historical stasis or a uniformity of tastes.
Relations to other concepts
- The Quality Without a Name
- Alive, Whole, Comfortable, Free, Exact, Egoless, Eternal
- Consciousness of Death and Transitoriness
- The Process of Repair
Review questions
- What problem does this concept clarify?
- Which part is Alexander’s explicit claim and which part is analytical interpretation?
- What observations or evidence are needed to assess it in a real environment?