Welcome to the fifth of a lecture series, “Form, Language, Complexity: Unified Architectural Theory”. This is Lecture 5: “Connecting to the World Using the Mirror-of-the-Self Test”, by Nikos A. Salingaros, Professor of Mathematics and Architecture at The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Included: Adaptivity of a form language to human life. Human physiology and psychology. A direct and useful test: Alexander’s “Mirror-of-the-Self”. Connecting to the world. Evidence-based design.

Unified Architectural Theory, Lecture 5: Connecting to the World Using the Mirror-of-the-Self Test

Readings for Lecture 5: “Connecting to the World Using the Mirror-of-the-Self Test”

  1. Alexander (1995) The genesis of the Mirror-of-the-Self, video by David Heine, produced and edited by Greg Bryant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmlo0Lva5AU
  2. Alexander, The Phenomenon of Life, Chapters 8 & 9. 
  3. Dave Hora (2021) Nature of Order No. 4: The Discovery of the Self in Architecture
  4. Salingaros, Chapter 14 of Unified Architectural Theory (second part)
  5. Salingaros (2020) sections “The Mirror-of-the-Self Test” and “Eye Tracking Studies and Simulation Software” from “Connecting to the World: Christopher Alexander’s Tool for Human-Centered Design”:

Texts discussed:

  • Christopher Alexander (2001) The Nature of Order, Book 1: The Phenomenon of Life, Center for Environmental Structure, Berkeley, California. Buy in the USA from: oxbowbooks.com and internationally from: eurospanbookstore.com or from any online bookstore.                     
  • Nikos Salingaros (2013) Unified Architectural Theory: Form, Language, Complexity, Sustasis Press, Portland, Oregon. Buy the paper book from the publisher in the USA levellerspress.com, European edition mijnbestseller.nl, and Asian Edition vajrabookshop.com.1