Every time I meet an architect or designer, I ask them about Alexander, and in the sample of about 12, only one (a world renowned architect) had heard of him. He's hugely influential in software, and was a big influence on me in the 90's and 00's, along with Tufte, Hofstadter, and Feynman.
I think it was hacker culture that really bouyed his ideas and kept them in the popular consciousness, and in turn, his ideas became really foundational to hacker culture as well. His passing is if not the loss of a pillar, it is at least a buttress.
I learned about his work through reading The Not So Big House. I've also asked Architects and Builders I've met if they are familiar with his work or the related Not So Big House movement, I haven't met a single one that have heard of either. It seems so strange to me. It would be like meeting a programmer who has never heard of functional programming. Even if you choose to use OOP instead of functional programming, surely you've at least heard of functional programming. How can you be an architect and be ignorant of Christopher Alexander??
Curiously, the Prince of Wales was a big supporter of Alexander's ideas, and wrote a book about related themes. He's on the talking circuit these days, and it might be interesting for someone to ask him his thoughts on Alexander.
His book on “Harmony” is highly recommended. I only knew him through tabloids. But based on his book, I have a ton of respect. Where is he on a talking circuit?
I think I misinterpreted an invitation to a munk debate as being a dialogue with him, when in fact it was about him. However, his book Harmony is sitting in my pile, as I am very interested in his views on conservation, architecture, cities, and the environment.
I think it was hacker culture that really bouyed his ideas and kept them in the popular consciousness, and in turn, his ideas became really foundational to hacker culture as well. His passing is if not the loss of a pillar, it is at least a buttress.