Build as if you can’t afford to throw it away, and you’ll build smaller, better, and more meaningfully. Small is the new luxury. For decades after World War II we indulged the luxury of throwaway places, but discovered they were no luxury at all, but lowered our spirits at every turn.

Why “as if”? I recently finished Inside the Box [How Constraints Make Us Better]. “As if” is the opposite of a true constraint, opening doors that might forever remain closed if we had to suffer through the implied constraints of the twelve patterns which follow. If you want to go all-in on the suffering, feel free. But you can build as if the implied constraints were things you had to fully suffer through as you learn the discipline of each pattern and earn the benefits those disciplines bring.

Build as if you only had a wheelbarrow, and you’ll preserve much more of the character of the land and streams, and also many of the trees. Your lots will be more valuable and far less boring in the early years than land scraped flat as per standard engineering practice.

Build as if you had only the sun to warm and the breezes to cool. Entice yourself outside with great outdoor rooms to condition yourself to the local environment so you can throw the windows open most days. On the most extreme days, use small but highly efficient conditioning equipment.