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This is the book we're using for our design discussions. It was written in the 1970's but is still relevant today. The unique thing about this book is the perspective. Alexander believes we should all be able to design our own living spaces, and has written this book to help us use patterns to decide design problems. He covers everything from designing communities and towns to the smallest details. He begins each of the 253 sections with a statement, such as 'High doorways are simple and convenient. But a lower door is often more profound.' And after a discussion, he concludes with a recommendation, such as, in this case, making at least some of your doors lower than usual.