MPLICITY

Minimalism
Philosophy
 “No allusion no illusion “ Donald Judd
 “What you see is what you see”
 “My idea was not to produce an object, but to give form to
space” Robert Morris
 Seeking timelessness and asceticism
 Obsession: Evanescence (lasting only for a short time, then
disappearing and forgotten) ,
 the disappearance, the dematerialization of
architecture

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Minimalism
Characteristics
 Adherence to environment rather than obstructing the
environment
 Primary, elementary structures, with clean lines, pared-
down geometries, on entire paradigm based on the
perception of structure and its relationship to the space
 Raw but sumptuous (showing luxury and richness)
buildings
 Allow the eye to look straight through them and the mind
to read them in every direction

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Minimalism
Characteristics (contd.)
 Dealing in mass, configuration, density, energy change, in
dematerialization and derealization
 On the one hand elegance, sobriety and reserve; on the
other the economy of means, temporariness and humor
 The large windows and the use of neutral colors on
most of the finishes adds light to the atmosphere

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Minimalist architecture

The
collection of
“City House”

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• Eating less food is called a diet. When you're on
diet, you restrict yourself to small amounts of food
for medical reasons or to lose or maintain weight.
When architecture is on diet, it's called minimalism.
• Minimalist architecture is restricted to fewer
elements to achieve the most. Here, 'the most' is as
important as health.
• Minimalist architects value empty space, formal
cleanliness, and simplicity.
• They eliminate everything that does not work with
the program, and use a few spare essential elements
to maximum effect.

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Characteristics of modern minimalist house design
include:
• Simplicity in form and function
• Uncomplicated cladding & wall finishes
• Clean, open, light-filled spaces
• Simple detailing devoid of decoration
• Strategic use of materials for visual interest,
texture, and personality

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Concepts and design elements
The concept of minimalist architecture is to strip
everything down to its essential quality and achieve
simplicity.
The idea is not completely without ornamentation, but
that all parts, details, and joinery are considered as
reduced to a stage where no one can remove anything
further to improve the design
The term minimalism is also used to describe a trend
in design and architecture , wherein the subject is
reduced to its necessary elements.

Minimalist architectural designers

focus on the connection between two perfect
planes, elegant
lighting, and the void spaces left by the removal
of three-dimensional shapes in an architectural
design.
Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969)
adopted the motto "Less is more" to describe his
aesthetic. His tactic was one of arranging the
necessary components of a building to create an
impression of extreme simplicity—he enlisted
every
element and detail to serve multiple visual and
functional purposes; for example, designing a floor
to also serve as the radiator, or a massive fireplace
to also house the bathroom.
Designer Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) adopted
the engineer's goal of "Doing more with less", but
his concerns were oriented toward technology and
engineering rather than aestheticsMinimalist
architecture and space
Minimalist architecture became popular in the late
1980s in London and New York,[28] where
architects and fashion designers worked together
in the boutiques to achieve simplicity, using white
elements, cold lighting, large space with minimum
objects
and furniture.
The considerations for ‘essences’ are light, form, detail
of
material, space, place, and human condition.
Minimalist
architects not only consider the physical qualities of
the building.
They consider the spiritual dimension and the
invisible, by
listening to the figure and paying attention to details,
people,
space, nature, and materials.,
In minimalist architecture, design elements strive to
convey the
message of simplicity. The basic geometric forms,
elements
without decoration, simple materials and the
repetitions of
structures represent a sense of order and essential
quality. [34]
The movement of natural light in buildings reveals
simple and
clean spaces.
Modernism
Main Features:
 Simplification of form and subtraction of ornamentation
(Little or no ornamentation) – the principle of
functionalist planning
 “Rational” use of modern materials
 Man made materials such as metal and concrete
 Rebellion on traditional styles
 Simplicity & clarity of forms and elimination of
“unnecessary details”
 Visual expression of structure (as opposed to hiding of
structural elements)
Modern architecture denotes the set of architectural
currents that have developed throughout the twentieth
century from technical changes, social and cultural linked
to the industrial revolution.
This artistic revolution
had its origin in the
Bauhaus and
its main development in
the modern movement
linked to
the International
Congress of Modern
Architecture
(1928-1959).
Although the origins of this movement can already be
sought in the late nineteenth century, with figures like
Peter Behrens, its boom occurred from the late 1920 by
architects such as Walter Gropius,Frank Lloyd Wright,
Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier y
This movement is principally characterized by absence of
ornament, the simplification of forms and disappearance
of classical academic composition , which was replaced
by an aesthetic with references to the various trends of
modern art (cubism, neoplasticismo, futurism, etc.). One
of the most significant changes was the use of new
materials such as steel and reinforced concrete.
We can distinguish two main trends: the rationalist
functionalism and organicist. The first is
characterized by
a preference for simple geometric shapes with
orthogonal
criteria. It is the purification of the already
oversaturated,
leaving only the essentials, the practical and
functional
for every situation. On the other hand, organismic
functionalism is a philosophy of architecture which
promotes harmony between human habitat and the
natural world.
Modernism
Notable architects of the movement
 Mies van der Rohe
 Le Corbusier
 Walter Gropius
 Eric Mendelssohn
 Frank Lloyd Wright
 Lousi Sullivan
 Gerit Riet Veld
 Bruno Tavt
 Arne Jacobsen
 Oscar Neimeyer
 Alvar Alto
Modernism
Modernism: Twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur
 Designed by: Argentine
American architect César
Pelli
 Floor plan design adopted a
simple Islamic geometric
forms of two interlocking
squares creating a shape of
eight-points stars with the
semi-circles softening in the
inner angles.
 Construction period:3 years
i.e. march 1993-march 1996
 Floor area: 395,000 m2
(4,252,000 sq ft)
 The 88-floor towers are
constructed largely of
reinforced concrete, with a
 In addition, a 33,000-panel curtain wall cladding system resides steel and glass facade
within the towers designed to resemble motifs
 The stainless steel element of the towers entices the illustrious found in Islamic art, a
sun, highlighting the magnificent towers, they are composed of reflection of Malaysia's
Muslim religion.
55,000 square metres (590,000 sq ft) of 20.38-millimetre (0.802
 Feature a diamond-faceted
in) laminated glass to reduce heat by reflecting harmful UV facade consisting of 83,500
rays. square metres (899,000 sq ft)
of stainless steel extrusions
Frank Lloyd Wright Guggenheim Museum 1956-59
 Situated in Manhattan,
New York City
 Permanent home of a
expanding collection
of Impressionist, Post-
Impressionist, early
Modern and
contemporary art.
 A "temple of the
spirit“
 A great difference to
the buildings in the
vicinity because of its
spiral shape
 Ramp gallery extends
up from ground level
in a long, continuous
 Design was inspired by a "Ziggurat" Babylonian temple spiral along the outer
pyramid-inverted edges of the building
 Materials used in its construction were basically precast to end just under the
concrete blocks ceiling skylight
The
 Period :International
1920s but which
only took off after WW2
Style
 1928 – formation of the
Congres Internationaux
d’Architecture Moderne – an 
international group of
architects.
 Philosophy:
 There was a push for
building designs which
could be truly international
 The International Style
eventually came to be
associated with Capitalism
and the wealth of the
Western world
The International Style
Characteristics:
A basic structural design
Steel skeleton allowing flexibility with both
positioning, and materials used for walls
No or minimal ornamentation
Flat roof
Created with the function of the building in mind;
Standardised, prefabricated parts
No historicism – that is, harking back to classical or
other styles
The look is more abstract & simple
Skyscrapers in USA
Steel and concrete for the frames and curtain walls of brick
and glass (in USA)