Ecopatterns
A Pattern Language for ecosystems.

Ecopatterns apply the Pattern Language process to solving ecological and environmental problems in waste management, water conservation, energy supply and use, etc. Individual design patterns are linked to form a network of solutions for green design and ecodesign.

Region
  Coastal Zone
    Harbor
    Spit
    Bay
    Estuary
    Lagoon
    Penninsula
    Marsh
    Beach
  Other Zones ...
	

Hierarchy of Parts

As described in Anatomy of a Pattern Language, a pattern language consists of a hierarchy of parts linked together by patterns which solve generic design problems. An example of a part in the ecosystem is the part coastal zone. The part coastal zone combined with other zones make up the part region. On the other hand, the part coastal zone can be decomposed into such parts as harbor, spit, bay, estuary, lagoon, penninsula, marsh, and beach.

Some Example Ecopatterns

For energy: For water conservation: For waste management:

Feel free to copy our Pattern Template to compose your own. Comments in the HTML source code provide directions.

Acknowledgments

This work is based on the Ecopatterns course, taught by Gary Swift and Ken Asplund at the School of Design, California Institute of the Arts, in 1973, where the pattern language was applied to ecological design problems.