PURPLSOC: Pursuit of Pattern Languages for Societal Change / PURPLSOC: The Workshop 2014

The PURPLSOC (In Pursuit of Pattern Languages for Societal Change) platform aims to substantiate the broad applicability and richness of pattern related work in all fields, and by sharing best practice examples from outside the scientific community to further raise awareness of this approach to encompass the wider public. Additionally PURPLSOC offers a platform to discuss and study Alexander's most recent research work (not, as yet, as well known as his primary work "A Pattern Language"): "The Nature of Order: An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe" (2004). The four volumes explore the "living process" with its "15 structure-preserving transformations" applied in the "unfolding of wholeness" (2004).
This anthology of papers, presented by specialists in the research and implementation of Christopher Alexander's work at the PURPLSOC preparatory workshop, is the first outcome of this discussion and reflection. The 19 papers bring a manifold and broad overview of the current state of the implementation of Alexander's ideas in divergent fields.