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Theory of Centers
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Christopher Alexander: wholes are made of centers that strengthen each other.
The Idea
A "center" is a coherent part of a larger whole — it has identity, focus, and relation to the things around it. Good design is a web of centers, each reinforcing the others. Bad design is parts that weaken each other.
Why It Matters
- It explains why good design feels alive and bad design feels dead.
- It gives language for critique beyond "I like it" or "I don't."
- It shifts focus from isolated features to how features reinforce each other.
How to Apply
- Identify the centers in your design: core flows, pages, components.
- Ask: does each center strengthen the ones around it?
- Weak centers drag the whole down. Remove or rebuild them.
- Strong centers attract life — users return to them.
The Trap
Theory of centers is abstract. It rewards practice, not reading. Apply it on real designs, compare intuitions, develop the sense.
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