PatternRecommended
Tapestry of Light and Dark
Pattern 135Description
Vary light levels throughout the house. Brightly lit areas feel more lit when adjacent to dimmer ones; uniformly bright homes lose contrast and feel flat.
Why this exists
Vision adapts to the brightest part of the field. Uniform brightness eliminates the contrast that makes any single space feel especially lit.
Categories
AestheticDaylight
Source
Christopher Alexanderno manifest entry
A Pattern Language (1977 (Oxford University Press))
Section: Pattern 135
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
- Long Thin House · Pattern 109
- Indoor Sunlight · Pattern 128
- Staircase as a Stage · Pattern 133
- Zen View · Pattern 134
- Sleeping to the East · Pattern 138
Last reviewed 2026-05-09.