What is minimalism and what role does it play in our societies? Read more to learn about how minimalism is making an impact in the way our communities are constructed.
Simplicity is a symbol of modernity. With the advent of industrialism, we’ve been in a constant search for ways to make processes more efficient and easier to do. This strategy has worked in getting things done sooner, which allows us to readily attend to the next thing on our plate. Our quest for simplicity has led us to the development of minimalism. Though minimalism is popularly known as an architectural or design style, it also has applications in life, society, and technology.
So what is minimalism? Put plainly, minimalism is all about keeping the essentials. In a more physical sense, it might mean owning fewer possessions. On a more lifestyle level, minimalism is about clarity, purpose, and intentionality. Being minimal helps us to keep room in our mind for thoughts and experiences that really matter. In society, minimalism might be about challenging the conventional consumerist lifestyle of accumulating more possessions. Technologically, it might be about owning less technology or having simpler systems for modern technology.
At face value, minimalism is a great way to reduce stress by having less to worry about and to develop discipline by making active decisions about your priorities. But minimalism is like an iceberg: there’s more to it than just what’s visible.
One could argue that minimalism might limit expression and a sense of individualism—being minimalist ties one to cleanness and neutrality, which may be restrictive. These core principles of minimalism lead to a prioritization of functionality over appearance, which makes sense in a system where efficiency is of utmost importance. Nonetheless, minimalist creations can still be striking and elegant. However, if being minimalist means only having what’s needed, then we can lose a sense of recognition. We wouldn’t have the dramatic scene at the Fountain of Trevi, or the intricate pointed arches in the Notre-Dame de Paris. What makes these architectural monuments well known are the stories they tell: about their creator and about their time. They are an expression of their creator’s creativity.
On the other hand, minimalist structures can seem repetitive through their consistent themes of simplicity and neutrality. Additionally, these themes can be employed from anywhere in the world as they take a more universal approach to design and creation. Thus, this aspect of minimalism can take away the recognizability in architecture by no longer telling a story of a region’s culture and history.
However, more often than not, functionality may be given more precedence over art in an effort to get things done sooner and for them to stick to practicality. While functionality and time optimization are important, the preference for functionality drives a disconnect between art and creation. Having unique features adds life to a bleak skyscraper, to a simple fountain, or to a community library. While such structures can exist as is in the simplest denomination, art is what connects them with communities—it creates a sense of wonder and inspires creativity.
So is the solution to do away with minimalist architecture? No—a complete discontinuation of minimalism would actually be problematic. The simple, decluttered aspect of minimalism can actually offer benefits such as improved focus. Furthermore, getting things done sooner is important in contexts where time is of the essence. Instead, there should be a balance in our communities among different architectural and design features as this would foster diversity, which creates beautiful spaces.