Shaping One Building / Shaping a Group of Buildings
Original term: Shaping One Building / Shaping a Group of Buildings | Chapter/location: 21 and 22 | Chapter start page in the English edition’s table of contents: 403 and 427
Definition and core idea
Quality at the scale of one building is not enough; the relation of buildings to one another and to the spaces between them also decides the outcome.
Explanation and elaboration
At the scale of a building, the relation of spaces, entrances, light and activity matters. At the scale of a group of buildings, the street, courtyard, square, path, edges and distances are part of the design, not just empty space left over after buildings are placed.
Notes and limits of interpretation
Caution in attribution
This note summarises two chapters. The exact examples and details given in each chapter should be drawn from the full text.
Relations to other concepts
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?