Importance: 10%
The Big Idea
Centers are a way of thinking about the physical make up of an area, building, or any spacial part of the universe posited by Christopher Alexander.
The basic idea is that you can identify a kind of fuzzy zone (which he calls a center) around which there is a certain continuity and harmony around a particular function or structure.
Each center is in itself a whole. This is in line with the idea of Center Composed Wholeness
Basic Definition
A local center of activity: a living system. It is a focused entity.
- Nature of order, bk 1., p. 84
So an example would be a kitchen is a center because it is where you cook. A neighborhood is a center because it is held together by a common road structure, etc.
Centers are seen as smaller parts of the larger whole and are not meant to be thought of in isolation. This helps make clear and identify the relationships that exist between different centers. Like a kitchen and dinning room usually have between each other.
This is because the idea of centers is meant to help identify and make clear how the world works together.
Also centers are seen as hierarchical. With a group of smaller centers often forming a larger center. Such as many rooms in a house making up the actual house. Therefore centers can function as a way to move up and down levels of complexity within an area as well.
Perspective
I have found that overall this is a very helpful way of understanding and talking about the spatial dimension of the world we live in. Using it we can actually start to understand how the physical world around us effects us and how we effect it in a tangible and meaningful way.
What is a Center?
Each one of these entities has, as its defining mark, the fact that it appears to exist as a local center within a larger whole. It is a phenomenon of centeredness in space.
I am not referring at all to a point center like a center of gravity. I use the word center to identify an organized zone of space - that is to say a distinct set of points in space.
When I call the pond a center, the situation changes. I can then recognize the fact that the pond does have existence as a local center of activity: a living system. It is a focused entity. But the fuzziness of its edges are becomes less problematic. The reason is that the pond, as an entity, is focused towards its center. It creates a field of centeredness. But, obviously, this effect falls off.
- Nature of Order, bk 1., p. 84
Centers are not stand alone features but are formed by the configuration of the whole. So in order to define what scale of center to look at you have to first start with a “whole” that is really a center of a larger scale. The larger whole of human experience would be the earth.
If the configuration of the whole changes the centers will shift even if most of the spacial configuration is similar. Meaning that even small changes can create big impacts on an overall system. The while then comes first and centers “settle out” of the whole with its configuration.
In other words centers are “induced” by the composition of the whole.
This is in contrast to the usual perspective that a whole is made up of parts in a simple kind of arithmetic.
- symmetry
- connnectedness
- comvexity
- homogeneity
- boundaries
- sharp change of feature These are all factors that can strengthen the presence of a center
If composed and aligned well Centers can give each other strength: The Ways Centers Help Each Other Have More Life
Another set of notes about centers: Stefan’s notes about Christopher Alexander’s idea of centers