[jngreenlee]

I find this one more useful for residential building design, by the same author: http://www.iwritewordsgood.com/apl/set.htm

Available in hardcover on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Language-Buildings-Constructio...

ATWoB is more philosophical, and lest about specific implementation.

APL includes nuggets along these lines: "Therefore: Make a public square much smaller than you would at first imagine; usually no more than 45 to 60 feet across, never more than 70 feet across. This applies only to its width in the short direction. In the long direction it can certainly be longer."

"When they have a choice, people will always gravitate to those rooms which have light on two sides, and leave the rooms which are lit only from one side unused and empty.[...]Therefore: Locate each room so that it has outdoor space outside it on at least two sides, and then place windows in these outdoor walls so that natural light falls into every room from more than one direction."

There are 253 patterns in the book, covering governed regions down to building wall details.

[sthorn]

Thumbs up for APL.

Most of the patterns are based on common sense and practical experience. What's novel is that they're written down and cross-referenced.

I find myself frequently nodding my head in agreement while reading - it's immensely satisfying to see ideas in concrete form that have been floating about in my head for years.