PatternRecommended
Long Thin House
Pattern 109Description
Houses elongated along their long axis with most rooms along that axis tend to feel more livable than equally sized square plans. Light reaches deeper into rooms; circulation runs along one edge rather than through room centers.
Why this exists
A long-thin house puts every room on the perimeter, giving them all natural light and ventilation. Square plans force interior rooms with no exterior wall.
Categories
AestheticDaylightCirculation
Source
Christopher Alexanderno manifest entry
A Pattern Language (1977 (Oxford University Press))
Section: Pattern 109
Published 1977-01-01 · last verified 2026-05-09
Solver enforcement
Browsable only — the solver does not currently enforce this directive (no spec-level data to check against). This entry exists so the architect personas can cite it in conversation and the user can read what the rule says.
Related directives
- Common Areas at the Heart · Pattern 129
- Main Entrance · Pattern 110
- Indoor Sunlight · Pattern 128
- Entrance Room · Pattern 130
- The Flow Through Rooms · Pattern 131
Last reviewed 2026-05-09.