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1. How Buildings Learn - Stewart Brand - 1 of 6 - “Flow”

Stewart Brand · documentary · Watch on YouTube

Civil engineering & constructionVisual arts, photography & architectureDocumentaries & storytelling

What it is

The first episode of Stewart Brand's 1997 BBC series based on his book How Buildings Learn, covering how buildings change after they are built. Brand presents and the series has music by Brian Eno.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN recommends it as a view of buildings as dynamic systems, with lessons for software architecture and long-term maintenance.

  • 8 people recommended it
  • 8 different months
  • 3 strong recommendations
  • first 2013, last 2020

What HN commenters said

  1. “Definite takeaways for software architecture, and includes appearances by Christopher Alexander, a key instigator of the patterns movement.”

    Documentary with takeaways for software architecture and maintainability, featuring Christopher Alexander

    asplake, 2018-09 · Strong recommendation · in “Ask HN: What are some of the best documentaries you've seen?”

  2. “it cannot be mentioned too often. If you haven't seen it, please please do.”

    Excellent BBC series on how buildings change over time

    lqet, 2019-04 · Strong recommendation · in “Paint Is Colored Glue”

  3. “It really opened my eyes to the importance of buildings.”

    Clear amateur analysis of how the US has built over a century

    monkeypizza, 2020-07 · Strong recommendation · in “Whole Earth Software Catalog (1984)”

  4. “A building isn't made for architects, it's for people to use”

    Documentary on how buildings adapt to how people use them

    shavenwarthog2, 2013-09 · Recommendation · in “Glare from London 'fryscraper' blamed for melting cars”

  5. “There's a really good BBC TV series about this topic”

    BBC series on how buildings evolve, covering office design

    rwmj, 2017-02 · Recommendation · in “What makes the perfect office?”

  6. “It changed my view of a building from a static thing to a dynamic system, changing over time.”

    Stewart Brand's series on buildings as dynamic systems changing over time

    wpietri, 2018-03 · Recommendation · in “Structural engineers are unsung heroes”

  7. “Saw the documentary and now reading the book, it's good.”

    Video documentary of the book, hosted by Brand

    steveeq1, 2018-05 · Recommendation · in “Stewart Brand Changed the World, Twice”

  8. “Stewart Brand also made a video series”

    Video series version of the book, relevant to long-term software maintenance

    paloaltokid, 2019-08 · Recommendation · in “Japanese architects who treated buildings like living organisms”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: stewart brand, architecture, maintenance, christopher alexander, systems thinking

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