Although it came out later, it is essentially the introduction to A Pattern Language and The Oregon Experiment, providing the philosophical background to the Center for Environmental Structure series.

It has had a huge influence on creative thinking, especially in the areas of architecture and software design.

[2] It is written as a long series of italicized headlines followed by short sections providing more detail; as Alexander suggests in the foreword, the 552-page book can be read in an hour by only reading the headlines, which frame the book's argument.

There are also numerous full-page photo illustrations throughout the book, some of which are referenced by the text and some of which are simply an additional visual argument to complement the words.

The style used in The Timeless Way of Building is also unusual for an architectural text, at times resembling prose poetry or religious scripture.