Hierarchy of Open Space

This is a summary of the 114th pattern from the “A Patter Language” book by Christopher Alexander and his team.

Outdoors, people always try to find a spot where they can have their backs protected, looking out toward some larger opening, beyond the space immediately in front of them.

In short, people do not sit facing brick walls – they place themselves toward the view or toward whatever there is in the distance that comes nearest to a view.

Any place where people can feel comfortable has:

  1. A back
  2. A view into a large space.

In the very smallest of outdoor spaces, in private gardens, this pattern tells you to make a corner of the space as a “back” with a seat, looking out on the garden. If it is rightly made, this corner will be snug, but not at all claustrophobic.

Whatever space you are shaping, make sure of two things. First, make at least one smaller space, which looks into it and forms a natural back for it. Second, place it, and it’s openings, so that it looks into at least one larger space.

When you have done this, every outdoor space will have a natural “back”; and every person who takes up the natural position, with his back to this “back,” will be looking out toward some larger distant view.