Form Follows Minimalism
Visual Essay
Form Follows Minimalism
Lara Smith Nottingham Trent University N0680919
Minimalism is one of the most prominent styles in design today. Minimalism is becoming the forefront of modern design, with many large companies basing their products on this style and people living in increasingly refined spaces. The rejection of extravagant styling from the past, and stripping designs back to their essential purpose has come from multiple impacts from across the world. I am going to analyse what these influences are and how minimalism has developed. I will study the architects, product designers, artists, traditions and philosophies that have used the qualities of minimalism, and caused them to gown in the way that they have.
The modern simplicity of minimalism has roots as far back as the beginning of the 20th century with the De Stijl group and Bauhaus school. As part of the Modern Movement they founded this style in many ways with their ideologies of using design to improve society. Functionalism and innovation were developed after the First World War as a reaction to the idea of historicism and design repeating itself. Piet Mondrian’s geometric paintings and Gerrit Rietveld’s furniture revolutionised design with simple geometry and colours, divided up with purposefully placed straight lines.
This industrialisation also occurred in the Netherlands, where they were inspired by De Stijl and Bauhaus as well. Minimalist designs prominently began to appear in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Over time modern mass retailers have taken the clean lines and stark silhouettes of Scandinavian design and made them mainstream.
When studying the aesthetics of Minimalism, similar traits can be seen within the concepts of some oriental design. I am going to focus particularly on the principles of Wabi-Sabi and Zen Buddhism in Japan when looking at their connection to modern minimalist design. Wabi-sabi is a modest form of beauty which appreciates the simplicity of natural things. It is the balance of Wabi, rustic simplicity or understated elegance, and Sabi, beauty that comes with age, shown though patina and wear. Although not identical to the principles of minimalism, traditional Japanese design has similar styles.
Minimalism /ˈmɪnɪməˌlɪz(ə)m/ noun
Design or style in which the simplest and fewest elements are used to create the maximum effect.
Modern Movement
From the theories and geometries of the Bauhaus School, founded by Walter Gropius in 1919, functionalism began to be appreciated and incorporated in more design, constructing the foundations of the Modern Movement. From the ideas blooming at this time, “there are three key concepts that we find in the basis of modern-day minimalist interiors: Geometry, simplicity and honesty.” Bueno, 2002. The application of new technology and standardization at this time also contributed to modern design. Bauhaus worked to create by combining craftmanship with engineering, influencing industrial design massively today. This is shown in Gropius’ proposal as part of the Bauhaus to make people “familiar with science and economy by uniting creative imagination with a practical knowledge of craftmanship” Meyer, 2000, therefor stating the basis that modern functional design is based on. They worked to raise the status of crafts, nowadays things that would be considered objects of product design, to be the same as the house that they are contained within.
Empty space and simple forms are a classic quality of minimalist design. Ludwig Mies van de Rohe, a prominent figure in the Bauhaus school, played a large role in the rise of minimalist architecture. He removed the columns and walls from buildings and stripped them back to the bare minimum, creating open plan spaces still “full of significant emptiness� Bueno, 2002.
The Neue Nationalgalerie built in 1968, and The Barcelona German Pavilion built in 1929 by van de Rohe are perfect examples of his idea of architecture and how similar the minimalist interiors of today are. The expressiveness of these spaces is only apparent when they are viewed as a whole, making them talented forms of design. Each component, if individually viewed, is quite simple with little impact. Van de Rohe realised that, by using new technologies which allowed open plan designs, he could maximise the use of natural light, creating very tranquil designs. He used a mixture of pure geometric forms and materials to create minimalistic spaces. This technique resulted in fascinating simplicity. When this was paired with the rest of the composition of the area, he designed some very atmospheric places. These are the very same techniques used in modern architecture today.
House on the Olive Trees is a home designed by Gallardo Llopis Architects. It uses the same angular features, like the simple overhanging roof, and contrast of textures as the work of Van der Rohe. The minimalist house uses a similar combination of materials to add depth to the simplicity, very much like the Barcelona Pavilion. The largely starkly white, cubic space coheres with the minimal use of stone perfectly to create a thriving balance. The floor to ceiling glass panels that run the length of the building draws in a magnitude of bright natural light, sweeping through the entire interior, another resemblance of the architecture from the Bauhaus.
Van der Rohe also designed furniture to sit within his architectural designs. The Barcelona Chair he designed with Lilly Reich, and was made for the Pavilion that he built. It featured a tubular steel frame, a new technology at the time. This revolutionised the design and manufacture of furniture, and is a feature of a large majority of modern furniture. Many of his furniture designs are still in production, now by the company Knoll since his patent on the design expired.
"Everyone sitting on a chair with a tubular steel frame, using an adjustable reading lamp is benefiting from a revolution in design largely brought about by the Bauhaus." Frank Whitford, Ref. 17
Many of the artists during the time of the Modern Movement incorporated this breakthrough of using industrial processes and materials in their art, influencing design today. Anne Truitt, Frank Stella, Dan Flavin and Donald Judd were a few of the many people to found this trend in art. Judd made this piece in 1964 from galvanised iron. Other materials that he worked with included plywood and concrete. Most of his work was formed of simple shapes, mainly cubes, geometrically arranged, neutralising it down to only the features that are significant.
"The aim of art is to create space space which is not occupied by decoration or illustration, space within which the subjects of painting can live." Frank Stella, Ref. 7
"Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light." Le Corbusier, Ref. 9
Andrzej Chomski is a Polish architect who creates minimalistic, faultlessly clean interior designs. He has projects in Poland, the United Kingdom and Australia, all following the modern aesthetic. Apartment 140 uses an amalgamation of black and white with details of timber and upholstery, much like the pioneering designers at the beginning of the Modern Movement. Character is found in the details. “In my designs I find details in the lighting and material connections, but also the uniquely designed products or simple furniture.� Chomski, No2 magazine.
"Less is more."� Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Ref. 7
Scandinavian Design
With influences from De Stijl in the Netherlands as early as 1917, mass production techniques also made their way into design in Scandinavia early on. They hung onto their traditional methods for longer than the designers in Europe which lead to more of a combination of traditional and modern in their design. As a response to the short days and long winters that people experienced in this area, more practical interiors were materializing. The design thinking behind this was that they needed to maximise the amount of daylight that they had. Artists still used the common natural materials and neutral colours, but from the innovative new ideas emerging these became united with sleek, clean lines which we recognise as Scandinavian style nowadays.
Finn Juhl and Kristian Solmer Vedel were both Danish furniture designers in the mid-20th century. Their work is very similar, with traditional looking framework stripped back to its essential parts. They were making products that were accessible and affordable at the time. This theory was common among local designers in the Netherlands, such as the Swedish Society of Industrial Design. Their aim was to generate products that were available for everyone to enjoy. Minimalism today follows the same traits, with design that is simplistic and appealing, elegant and sophisticated. Manufacturers like IKEA, Søstrene Grene and Flying Tiger Copenhagen are making quality products at good prices and continuing to follow the Scandinavian method of design.
Early modern Scandinavian design combined this usability with beauty, and didn’t completely strip their designs down to the bare minimum. It is this balance that is continued today in Scandinavian design which gives it such a unique take on minimalism. The functionalism of Bauhaus and De Stijl became increasingly dominant in architecture in Scandinavia, developing into a style they called ‘funkis’, meaning functionalism.
"One explanation for the richness of simplicity could be that architecture which does not refer to anything outside itself, which does not appeal to the intellect, automatically gives priority to the sensory experience of space, material and light." Hans Ibelings, Ref. 9
Modernism ideologies spread to Scandinavia from Europe where they developed it in their own way. Minimalist and Scandinavian design is generally monochromatic, uncluttered and high on function. However, the Scandinavian style isn’t just shades of black and white; minimal amounts of colour have also been a classic style in Nordic design, especially in interiors.
These chairs were designed by Arne Jacobsen in the 1950s, and are all still in production today. They are what propelled him into the product design world, and have lasted the test of time due to their simplistic, modern aesthetic. Jacobsen was also a brilliant architect, designing the Bellavistia apartments in Klapenborg in 1932 and the SAS Copenhagen Royal Hotel in 1958. His buildings weren’t as well valued as his furniture design though. His very uniquely shaped ‘Egg’ and ‘Swan’ chairs were designed to sit within his hotels. They combined leather and steel in a new way, making them a large influence on Scandinavian design at the time.
The Scandinavian balance of decoration and starkness is a very iconic style in minimalistic design. This is conveyed in Gerrit Thomas Rietvelt’s Zigzag chair. Designed in 1934, the chair does not use the usual legs and seatback design. Instead, it is formed from one single piece of wood, arranged into a zigzagging shape. It was at this time that cantilevered chairs were becoming a popular design for the first time, so this was an original take on a brandnew design. It comes in a range of finishes and colours. This version is cherry wood, but it was also available in primary colours, as well as a mixture of black, white and natural ash. It was one of the first products that was designed in a modular way like this, leaving the final aesthetics down to the customer. This is a very similar system to the design currently used at IKEA, a chain of Scandinavian superstores.
Danish design’s appeal is its versatility which allows people to have creativity in decorating their homes. Trends usually change over time but not Scandinavian design. Modular products with a range of available colours and finishes have been in Scandinavian design from the beginning of the 20th century, and they are still a major part of it, and minimalist products as a whole. The current generation have new opinions on these ideas, but they are still fundamentally the same.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Leonardo Da Vinci, Ref. 7
The aesthetics of this design in Scandinavia have evolved into a style of their own within modern minimalism. The chair on the left is one of IKEAs best sellers, and it presents the style of many of their products. It combines natural wood with a simply formed shape, and the minimal intricacies are visible. This chair was originally designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1948, and was revolutionary at the time. It used fiberglass, a very new technology, along with plastic which was not upholstered in any way. This isn’t something we even consider to be strange today, but at the time it was a brand-new idea, and one that has lasted ever since. The Eames chair has become a very iconic style of chair, and fits perfectly in the minimalism spaces of today.
"Getting the most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least." Charles Eames, Ref. 7
Over the years Scandinavian design has advanced. It has developed from mostly furniture and product design into a way of applying values of graceful massproduced design, which is available to all. The institutions that were founded to support the Scandinavian design industries are still running today. For example, Svensk in Sweden, The Norwegian Design Council and The Danish Design Centre. They work profusely to advertise the advantages to the modern world of good, modern design, along with social development and business growth.
"It's disciplined. Swedish benches, for example, have longer legs. And I think to myself, how easy would it be to store stuff underneath there? But Swedish design has no place for clutter because clutter ruins the lines. It begs to be left alone so that air and light can circulate through it. It's aspirational." Rachel Dougan, Ref. 15
Traditional Japanese Design
Traditional Japanese design, before the influence of the West Culture, had simplicity at its heart. Everything that wasn’t essential to the functionality of an object wasn’t included in its design. The Japanese used extreme simplification of form in their designs. Zen philosophy is based on the abstraction of disorder and removal of anything superfluous, meaning it is based on the same foundations as minimalism. The aesthetic of modern design today has stemmed from this deep concentration on the beauty of simplicity.
In old Japanese architecture and interiors, the shapes and lines are always clean, made from simplistic design and colour. Austerity was seen as “liberation of the inner being� Bueno, 2002, by removing vanity and flamboyance. This is best portrayed in the style of Sukiyazukuri. Originally this meant a place where a tea ceremony, or Chashitsu, was held. The form of these tea houses was based entirely on their function, to create a space that focused completely on enjoying the tranquil experience of a tea ceremony. Over time Sukiyazukuri has become the style of architecture which is based on the aesthetics of these tea houses. It is distinguishable due to the natural materials used, visible timbers in particular. These were a grey or black colour in early Sukiyazukuri buildings, but in later times the timbers were left as a natural surface. The walls were also a muted, neutral colour.
American architect and interior designer Frank Lloyd Wright designed many buildings with a very comparable aesthetic to these traditional Japanese structures. His Fallingwater or Kaufmann House was built in 1935 and used similar principles to those of Zen philosophy. Before the Modern Movement, the Sakiyazukuri architectural style was one of the few to completely refuse the inclusion of complexity and decoration in its design.
Simply constructed sliding doors, Fusumashouji, are an iconic part of traditional Japanese buildings, providing functional and easy-to-use divisions. The plain structure is one that is commonly used in minimalist design today, in things like shelving and tables. They were designed to act as a barrier but to still allow in natural light, creating a bright space.
Classic Japanese rock gardens were designed with the Zen philosophy. They demonstrate a rich simplicity combined with an element of precise detail. Anything that wasn’t essential to their design was not included, much like minimalist design today.
A very important concept within the Zen philosophy and traditional Japanese design is Wabi-Sabi. It refers to the idea of the purist simplicity. The idea of spaciousness has developed from the Buddhist concept of “spiritual emptiness� Suzuki, D. 1938, and lead us to design with balance and austerity, creating eternal spaces which are resilient against ever-changing trends.
Wabi-Sabi noun
Simple and uncluttered. Understaing the beauty in imperfection.
"It seems justified to affirm: the more cultivated a people becomes, the more decoration disappears." Le Corbusier, Ref. 22
German industrial designer Dieter Rams designed for Braun. It was here that he pursued his take on minimalism, designing radios, record players and other appliances. His ethos, much like in traditional Japan, was to focus on only the essentials of a product. As a result, his products had a very clean and pure aesthetic.
Today, many of the products in mainstream stores like John Lewis have a clear relationship with traditional Japanese design. Minimalism has become a sign of prosperity and modernism in modern day Europe, much like it was in early Japan. People aspire to fill their homes with beautiful, simple products surrounded by light, open space. The principles of Zen philosophy have become very desirable in design today.
"Doing more with less." Buckminster Fuller, Ref. 17
Minimalism has been materialising for centuries, from traditional Japanese philosophy, Scandinavian influences and the development of the Bauhaus and De Stijl movements. The evidence for this can be seen by crossrefrencing numerous sources from a range of reliable authors and viewpoints. Minimalism is one of the design trends which I believe will never grow old, but develop instead. Its simplicity makes it easy to incorporate into most forms of design. It is classic and sophisticated, and emphasises one of the most important theories of design – functionality. Because it can be applied in so many ways, minimalism will continue to influence design that is still to come. By studying how its has developed so far, I believe it will take over website, application and technology design, and it will progress in many new ways, but its roots will always remain the same.
Figure List 1. Staircase in Clearview Chalet (Digital image) Avaliable at: https:// minimalissimo.com/clearview-chalet/ 2. Mondrian painting (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://www.inde pendent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-works/great-works-composition-in-white-black-and-red-1936-piet-mondrian-1828446.html 3. Berlin Chair by Gerrit Rietvelt (Digital image) Avaliable at: http:// www.rietveldoriginals.com/en/portfolio/berlin-chair/ 4. Caravaggio Lamps by Cecile Manz (Digital image) Avaliable at: http:// www.lightyears.dk/lamper/pendler/caravaggio/?variant=74006508 5. Waterside Buddhist Shrine (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www. archdaily.com/870778/waterside-buddist-shrine-archstudio 6. Bauhaus graphic design (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://www. tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/b/bauhaus 7. Barcelona Pavillion by Ludvig Mies van der Rohe (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://miessociety.org/mies/projects/ 8.Neue Nationale Gallerie by Van der Rohe (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://www.375parkavenue.com/History 9, 10 & 11. House in the Olive Trees (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://minimalissimo.com/house-on-the-olive-trees/ 12. Seating area at Nottingham Trent University (Own image) 13. Barelona Chair by Van der Rohe (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.knoll.com/shop/by-designer/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe 14. Mr Side Chair by Van der Rohe (Digital image) Avaliable at: https:// www.knoll.com/shop/by-designer/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe 15 & 16. Gentle Hint chairs by Nissa Kinzhalina (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.dezeen.com/2015/10/18/nissa-kinzhalinas-gentle-hint-chair-seating-furniture-design-incomplete-line-drawings/ 17. Untitled nby Donald Judd (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://www. theartstory.org/artist-judd-donald.htm 18. Untitled by Anne Truitt (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://www. annetruitt.org/
19. Untitled by Donald Judd (Digital image) Avalibel at: http://www. tate.org.uk/art/artworks/judd-untitled-t03087 20. Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier (Digital image) Avaliable at: http:// www.villa-savoye.fr/en/ 21. Furniture by Andrzej Chomski (Digital image) Avaliable at: https:// www.behance.net/gallery/57419993/FURNITURE-DESIGN-COLLECTION-HOSKI 22. Apartment 175 by Andrzej Chomski (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.behance.net/Hoski 23. Seagram Building by Van der Rohe (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://www.375parkavenue.com/History 24. Gala Sofa by Sebastian Alberdi (Digital image) Available at: https:// www.danishdesignstore.com/products/sebastian-alberdi-gala-dining-sofa-bolia 25. Ekion Lamp by Julia and Niklas Jessen (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://schneid.org/shop/eikon-circus 26. Modus Lounge Chair by Kristian Solmer Vedel (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/lounge-chairs/ danish-rosewood-modus-lounge-chair-set-kristian-solmer-vedel1960s/id-f_2004372/ 27. Aarhus Radhus by Arne Jacobsen (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.archdaily.com/540719/ad-classics-aarhus-city-hall-arnejacobsen-and-erik-moller 28. Clearview Chalet (Digital image) Avaliable at: https:// minimalissimo.com/clearview-chalet/ 29. Shelving unit by Sostrene Grene (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://sostrenegrene.com/ 30. Chairs by Arnie Jacobbsen (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://www. aram.co.uk/more/designers/arne-jacobsen.html 31. Shelves by Sostrene Grene (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://sostrenegrene.com/ 32. ZIgzag chair by Gerrit Reitvelt (Digital image) Avaliable at: https:// www.cassina.com/en/collection/chairs/280-zig-zag 33. Lamp at The Design Museum (Digital image) Own image
34. 1950s table lamp (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.pamono.co.uk/scandinavian-copper-brass-leather-table-lamp-1950s 35. PK22 chairs by Poul Kjærholm (Digital image) Avaliable at: https:// www.nest.co.uk/fritz-hansen 36 & 37. Watches by Intrmnt (Digital images) Avaliable at: https:// www.instrmnt.co.uk/ 38. Eames Chair by Ray and Charles Eames (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.hermanmiller.com/products/seating/lounge-seating/ eames-lounge-chair-and-ottoman/ 39. Chairs in Sostrene Grene shop, Nottingham (Digital image) Own image 40 & 41. Modern Eames style chair by IKEA (Digital images) Avaliable at: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/chairs-stools-benches/ chairs/dining-chairs/ 42. Lamps in IKEA, Nottingham (Digital image) Own image 43. AJ Cutlery by Arnie Jacobbsen (Digital image) Avaliable at: http:// www.aram.co.uk/more/designers/arne-jacobsen.html 44. Y chair by Hans J Wegner (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www. carlhansen.com/products/chairs/ch24/ 45. Calligraphy ‘Do-zen’ (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://commons. wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Do-zen_calligraphy.png 46. Ropes protecting Karasaki pine trees in Japan (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/56188 47. Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.fallingwater.org/ 48. Fusumashouji in Takamatsu Castle, Japan (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://simplicable.com/new/fusuma-vs-shoji 49. Fluida wall storage system by Scavolini (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.scavolini.com/Cucine 50. Osaka House by Yoshiaki Yamashita (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www.curbed.com/2016/9/1/12754534/osaka-japan-modern-home-shoji-screen-yoshiaki-yamashita 51. Reflection of Mineral House in Japan (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://www.tekuto.com/en/works/a106_reflection-in-mineral
52. Range of tea cups in Sostrene Grene shop (Digital image) Own image 53. Traditional Japanese teapot hanging in a tea house, Japan (Digital image) Avaliable at: http://hojotea.com/categ_e/tetsubin.htm 54. Tea set by Anna Lerinder (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://www. pinterest.co.uk/pin/216735800795313035/?lp=true 55. Braun Radio by Dieter Rams (Digital image) Avaliable at: https:// gizmodo.com/10-iconic-dieter-rams-designs-from-a-store-thatsells-h-1045228746 56. Tea set in John Lewis, Nottingham (Digital image) Own image 57. Modern sliding door by Nordan (Digital image) Avaliable at: http:// www.nordan.co.uk/ 58. Alfil crockery by David Dell Valle (DIgital image) Avaliable at: https://minimalissimo.com/alfil-mortar-pestle/ 59. Kitchen interior in Chiang House by 2books Space Design (Digital image) Avaliable at: https://minimalissimo.com/chiang-house/
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