Some thoughts after reading A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction.

Scale of the pattern determines the implementation process. Large patterns can only be implemented gradually by grass roots action and policy guidance. Patterns for building can be built in the mind and documented in artefacts. Patterns for construction must be built in place.

Prose and Poetry. In prose, words in a pattern language have a simple single meaning, but in poetry there’s a deeper more profound meaning because of the density, and overlap of the connections. This interlocking illuminates the whole. This compression is the only way to create buildings which are poems.

Each pattern, and pattern type, requires different incentives:

But as far as possible, implementation should be loose and voluntary, based on social responsibility, and not on legislation or coercion.

Each group makes his own decisions about the environment it uses in common. Ideally each group owns the common land at its level and higher groups do not own or control the land belonging to the lower groups. They only own and control the common land that lies between them, and which serves the higher group.

Each level should be self-governing, otherwise they will not be able to solve their own environmental problems. For example, brand govern brand, design system govern design system, feature govern feature.