Provides an extraordinary insight into the development of one of the most well-known architects and theorists Alexander's A Pattern Language is one of the best-selling books in the history of architecture The essays combine theory and descriptions of practice

Preface, PART 1: THE LARGE AND SMALL DETAILS OF EVERYDAY LIFE, 1. Perception and modular coordination 1959, 2. Notes on the Synthesis of Form: Contents, Preface and Part One in early draft 1960, 3. The Nature of Order, Book One, section on local symmstries 2001, 4. On changing the way people see 1964, 5. From a set of forces to a form 1966, 6. Center for Environmental Structure seminar report, excerpt, 1967, 7. Early ideas for the pattern language format 1967-68, 8. Major changes in environmental form required by social and psychological demands 1969, 9. The atoms of environmental structure 1970, PART 2 : FROM THE CENTER TO THE UNIVERSE, 10. Value: a reply to Protzen 1977, 11. Centering 1977, 12. A shrine to color and light 1990, 13. OOPSLA lecture 1996, 14. Reply to William Saunders 2002, 15. Our new architecture and the many world cultures 2002, 16. Harmony-seeking computations 2005, 17. Conversation with Rem Koolhaas 2006, PART 3: THEORY INTO BUILDING, 18. The grassroots housing process 1973, 19. The growth of order from small acts 1974, 20. The architect-builder: toward changing the conception of what an architect is 1977, 21. Rebirth of the Inner City: The North Omaha Plan, excerpts 1981, 22. The construction of new neighborhoods for Guasare New Town, Venezuela, excerpts 1983, 23. Toward a personal workplace, excerpt 1987, 24. Construction management contract 1994, 25. Battle, unpublished chapter 2010, Bibliography, Illustration credits, Index