Minimalism & Functionality

Minimalism & Functionality 

From crit feedback I have come to the conclusion that to maintain functionality and versatility in a design outcome I have to focus on minimalist elements and legible presentation of information. This will produce outcomes that can be used in a variety of frame styles which is my initial intention. 

So to strengthen this concept and take my initial sketches into stronger or altogether different outcomes I am going to look into minimalist & functional elements of research. This will include were the term minimalism derives from and more visual research into existing examples of functional & minimalist design outcomes. 

Functional: "practical rather than decorative". This is the best definition I can use to strengthen my design concept, using this definition and influences of minimalist design I will able to form stronger overall concept for my frame backing papers.

In art & design terms the word 'minimalism' is used to describe a subject or design outcome that is reduced down to necessary elements. No distractions, no fancy elements just pure functional design. Minimalist design is influenced highly by traditional Japanese architecture, but in terms of the visual arts it has derived from Modernism in its bare reduced down essences and lead onto form post-minimal practices. 

Piet Mondrian was a huge influence on this style back in the 1900's he contributed greatly to the De Stijl movement founded by Theo Van Doesburg. He worked in a way in which designers work to a set of rules through the use of a grid system. But instead of it been hidden and used as guidelines like it is to-date he made use of horizontal and vertical black lines and created paintings that consisted of only 3 primary colors, Red, blue & yellow. 

Example of his working style. 

I looked briefly into De Stijl movement discovering that the style was made up of use of simplicity and abstraction through the use of rectangular forms, lines and the primary colors. Much like the above painting by Piet Mondrian. This was also emulated in architecture and as a whole influenced a movement wholly based on functionalism. 

The Rietveld Schröder House, based on De Stijl principles

Functionalism is a term that is used within architecture more than art and visual responses but i plan on taking these architectural influences into my design process's to provide an outsource of inspiration for my work. It is said that functionalism is the principle in which a building is designed and created in a specific way for the structures intended use. Countries like Germany who are already culturally accepted as been a country who create functional and well engineered products are a nation that use those principles within there architecture. 

Augustus Welby Pugin mentioned: "there should be no features about a building which are not necessary for convenience, construction, or propriety" and "all ornament should consist of enrichment of the essential construction of the building"

This quote is a perfect historical reference that supports my initial ideas and crit feedback on presenting only the necessary information and design elements with no ornate or distractive elements. So with my new found knowledge on the grid systems used in Piet Mondrians paintings and the De Stijl principles within architecture I will now strengthen my ideas and concepts. Below is an example of architecture inspired by the functional movement and has clear examples of De Stijl principles as shown below with the window frames in this Auditorium, Aarhus University created in the 1960's. 

For the use of imagery within the backing paper I will look into the grid systems within architecture or just look at examples of architecture in general. This combined with minimalist typography and compositions should create a strong outcome that meets my intended functional concept.