| name | pattern-library |
| description | Retrieve applicable Alexander-style patterns (context/problem/solution) for a design brief BEFORE generating form — courtyard, light on two sides, entrance transition, prospect/refuge, six-foot balcony, and per-domain equivalents. Trigger: "what patterns apply", or invoked by brief-to-blueprint step 3.
|
| kind | skill |
| license | CC-BY-4.0 |
| runtimes | ["claude-code","codex","hermes"] |
pattern-library
When to use
Before massing/layout generation for any architecture, interior, landscape, or
game-level brief. Patterns are the generator's representation (principle P5).
What it does
- Parse the brief's context: climate zone, lot depth, privacy needs, program,
play-type mix (for games: agôn/alea/mimicry/ilinx).
- Match against the pattern set in
principles/DESIGN_PRINCIPLES.md and the
300-year digest (courtyard for deep plans, lightwell, entrance transition,
prospect/refuge for both rooms and game arenas).
- Return each match as context / problem / solution / source, plus explicit
conflicts between selected patterns.
Example
"Brief: narrow 8m-wide row-house lot, hot-dry climate, family of 5" →
courtyard (light/air/privacy in one move), thick-wall thermal mass, sheltered
entrance transition.
Verification (eval-with-teeth)
Every returned pattern must cite its survival evidence (source + years in use)
from research/last300years/DIGEST.md. A pattern without lineage is an
invention, not a retrieval — label it PROPOSED, never mix it into the canon.
Safety
Patterns are priors, not mandates; site and code override.
Cross-runtime
Prompt-only.