2006 Current events

Dec. 18/2006 - Team Update on 'Patterns' Wiki

I would like to get off to a fast start in the New Year. Over the next few weeks, please get familiar with the Patterns Wiki and register.

I have added additional information on Patterns and Pattern Language, and have reorganised the left navigator to provide direct access to:

• Getting Started (Why Use a Wiki?, Getting Started with the 'Patterns' Wiki, Preliminary 'Patterns' Process)
• List of Patterns (index of all documented patterns)
• Clippings (place to store information for future reference)
• Community portal (confirmed/unconfirmed team members)
• Current events ('dated' material, including all team communications)
• Update Log (manually maintained list of changes to the Wiki)
• New Pages (lists newly created pages)
• Guidelines (some guidelines for using the Patterns Wiki)
• Help (basic Wiki information with a link to an Editing help page that can also be accessed from any Edit window)

The 'Getting Started' page has some initial ideas on a process. Please add your thoughts!

I have decided to start with only two patterns: 'Closed Loop' and 'Diversity', partly because they appeared to be linked, partly to focus our attention and build momentum. Also, I am finding it quite challenging to complete the pattern templates (:-).

Wishing everyone all the best for the Holiday Season!

Regards, Norbert

Dec. 2/2006 - "Patterns in Nature" SEM 2007 Paper

The paper has been accepted. Now all I need is solid content (:-).

Dec. 1/2006 - Beyond Green: Adaptive, Restorative and Regenerative Design

This full-day lecture by Dr. Ray Cole (Director, School of Architecture, University of British Columbia) covered:

• the context (global warming, non-renewable resource consumption, pollution)
• trends in 'green' design, from sustainable ('do less bad') to restorative and eventually regenerative architecture
• implications of biophilia and biomimicry
• application of concepts from ecology and the study of ecosystems
• concepts and examples of adaptive, restorative and regenerative architecture

Dr. Cole was interested in the 'Patterns in Nature' project and asked for access to the Patterns Wiki. Just a few more changes and it will be ready (:-). Seriously, I want to incorporate some insights from Fil Salustri's paper on Patterns and get the initial List of Patterns populated.

Nov. 30/2006 - Announcement of Patterns Wiki

A number of you have confirmed participation in the course and the e-mail address that you prefer to use for communications (Enty, I understand your e-mail address may be changing). If you got this note but do not show up in the 'To:' list, please drop me a note confirming that you are still interested in participating, and provide an e-mail address that I can share with the other members of the group.

Since the last update, I had a great chat with Fil Salustri about the mechanics of collecting, debating and finalizing information on patterns. Although Weblogs can reduce the volume of e-mails, they do not lend themselves to truly collaborative writing. Weblogs are good at capturing discussions, but are less suited to consolidating chronological information into an easily digestible form. Fil convinced me to try using a Wiki. If you have never heard the term, check out the Wikipedia definition.

At no (financial) expense, I have created a Patterns Wiki on my webhosting server, using MediaWiki, the same Open Source platform that powers Wikipedia. Point your browser at [1] to review the result. At the bottom of the main page is a link to a Help:Contents page and The Sandbox where you can test drive MediaWiki. There is a bit of administrivia - to edit or create content, you need to register first, a pretty painless process.

Over the next few days, I will be populating the List of Patterns page with the preliminary patterns. My plan is to build momentum by discussing specific patterns, then working on growing the number of patterns. The intent is to become familiar with the concept of patterns through working on them. At the same time, I expect that we will spin-off new patterns as we refine the existing ones.

Drop me a note if you have any questions or comments about the project or the Wiki. I will freely admit that my previous experiences using a Wiki were not positive - they take a bit of getting used to. That said, the MediaWiki platform is quite easy to learn.

Thanks, Norbert

PS. If you find any spelling or grammar errors, adopt the 'Wiki spirit' and fix them. I promise I won't sulk.

Sept. 22/2006 - 'Patterns in Nature' Call for Volunteers in the BioInspired! Newsletter

Multi-disciplinary collaboration is essential to practicing Biomimicry. At the same time, the trend towards specialization in the research and design disciplines makes communicating information amongst professionals challenging, regardless of the topic. In a new field such as Biomimicry, organizing information in a structured fashion can also be an issue.

Pattern Language shows promise in addressing both concerns. The concept was developed in the late 1970s by Christopher Alexander. Patterns are descriptions of common solutions to recurrent problems within a specific context. They capture insights that have ’stood the test of time’, allowing users to focus on the important issues during problem analysis. By using simple terminology, patterns are accessible to anyone, regardless of discipline or level of expertise. This allows patterns to be communicated, shared and applied within a team or community, enabling everyone to contribute.

Patterns can be arranged into a network or hierarchy. A specific pattern is embedded in larger patterns, surrounded by patterns of the same scale, and is composed of smaller patterns that complete it. By using a common terminology at all levels, a Pattern Language placed problems and solutions in the larger context and encourages us to consider how individual solutions interact with the larger environment. It can also organize information at increasing levels of detail by expanding on component patterns and sub-solutions.

A Pattern Language does not dictate solutions—part of problem analysis involves identifying those patterns that are relevant to the particular context. Adjacent, larger and smaller patterns are explored to help reach a deeper understanding. This unique combination of relevant patterns leads to solutions that are at the same time aligned and flexible, able to adapt to changing conditions. Such an emergent or organic development can result in a complexity and vitality missing in many top-down designs.

Pattern Languages have been developed for architecture and software development. EcoTrust recently sponsored development of a Conservation Economy Pattern Language, an effort led by Stuart Cowan (co-author of Ecological Design).

I am looking for volunteers to help develop a Pattern Language based on natural principles. The goal is to get enough participation so that the individual work effort is small:

• For those with a biology background, write up a new pattern and critique an existing pattern.
• For non-biologists, provide a technical example and counter-example for two patterns.

To whet your appetite, download a preliminary version of Patterns in Nature. If you are interested, please contact:

Norbert Hoeller