“In the world that’s filled with excessive grandeur, minimalism definitely comes across as a breath of fresh air”.
But what exactly is minimalism? It's truly a pressing question here! For some it might be giving less attention to details, for some it could be sheer simplicity or for some it might be the “less is more” concept. No matter what your opinion is about minimalism, the fact about minimalism is that we need to embrace some part of it in our lives! The reason why I’m stressing on this is because minimalism is not a lifestyle, it's more of a journey, an experience that can only be defined and felt by you!
But why Minimalism in Architecture?
That said, one might wonder the necessity of a minimalist architectural style in these current times, where design and style are majorly intricate, grand and fancy. Nevertheless this school of minimalistic design is gaining significance amongst people of all walks of life, mainly due to the fact that “Beauty lies in Simplicity”. Minimalism brings an element of timeless design because it rejects the idea of extreme detail and ornamentation. At the end, Minimalism boils down to the essence of expressing only the most essential and necessary elements of designs.
Variations of minimalism have always been around us in some form or the other, and has remained a classic style ever since. Minimalist architecture originated in the early 20th century in Latin America, with some influence from the Japanese tradition. Minimalist architects often put together nature and the interior to achieve an optimum balance between the man-made architecture and the environment. Order and harmony are achieved through the utilisation of geometric forms, bare walls, and simple materials. In this manner, “the essence of architecture” radiates through the sleek design.
Common characteristics of minimalist architecture include:
- Pure geometric forms.
- Simple, limited and plain materials.
- Clean lines.
- Repetition to give a sense of order and unification.
- Simple, open spaces.
Minimalistic architecture can also be informally called as uncluttered architecture, since its primary focus lies on the subtle nuances that convey the meaning of the entire design concept. Minimalist architecture exemplifies definite characteristics of form, space, light and materials along with few techniques such as reduction, simplification and unification. Minimalists greatly consider these characteristics the 'essence' of raw architecture. Neo Minimalist architects use various shades of colour, but the total number of shades is strictly limited. Now there are two types of minimalism, Functional minimalism and Aesthetic minimalism. Functional ones are sharply focussed on pared-down lifestyle whereas the aesthetic ones are more about the optics which focuses on the colour white with simple form and design.
In a minimalist type of architecture, design elements deeply strive to convey the message of simplicity. The basic geometric forms, elements without decoration, simple materials and the repetitions of structures constitute a sense of order and essential quality. Achieving sheer excellence in the Minimalist style requires tremendous skill. It requires designers, artists and architects to break things down into their essential elements, using simple forms to make a harmonious work.
So, what’s in it for me?
Adding some Indian context to the scene, India is much used to the luxurious modernist homes that are filled with beautiful crafts and colourful artefacts from all over the world. Indian market is typically a “design conscious” one. But there is an unexpected twist here too! Indian architecture is filled with minimalist contemporary approaches to classic traditional values. Mostly the sections of affluent urbane Indians are embracing it. Likewise many Architecture Firms in Chennai are ramping up with this trend since it's not only growing very fast, but it's also very impactful in its style and demeanour. According to a recent survey conducted, ‘people living in homes with minimalist architecture say that a no-frills lifestyle frees up their mind, time and money on absolute things they love doing’. Interested enough? If you want to ensure that your next house has elements of minimalistic architecture and design, then get in touch with Best Architects in Chennai right away and get the most exquisite minimalistic patterns, facades and designs that truly resonate with your personality and connect with your deeper sense of purpose.