The History of my Design Philosophy

For my final post of the semester, I have decided that it is essential to further discuss the foundation of myself as a designer. What exactly fuels a designer to do what they do? What is it that forces us out of bed each morning? These questions can be answered through our design philosophies. As discussed in a previous post, one of the focal points of my design philosophy is "Less is More". This concept was not something I came up with, but rather a philosophy that many identify with. I would like to share the history behind this concept, how it has evolved over time, as well as my personal take on it. 

History of "Less is More"

German architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was the man who originally popularized the term "Less is More" during the mid-20th-century (Merkel 2010). This was a time of exuberance and growth as it followed World War II and people needed to feel in control of the space around them. "As we find ourselves in an era of diminishing resources, could 'less' become 'more' again?" (Merkel 2010). Mies's phase embodied the idea that elegance did not necessarily mean abundance. When designed properly, elegance can easily be achieved with minimal pieces. This design philosophy has only expanded since the mid-20th-century with the admiration of minimalism taking over the world of design.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Team 2021)

Evolution of "Less is More"

This term may not be heard as often as it used to be, however, it is still just as relevant as when it first exploded with popularity. We may not here the exact words "Less is More" but rather the concept of minimalism that has taken over the design world. Especially in upper class homes, this philosophy has become beloved with statements pieces being the focal interest to a space rather than numerous trinkets. Some designers would see a bare wall and see an endless array of possibilities, while others see the same wall and are content with its simplicity. I believed that there is a time and place for both scenarios and have related to the "Less is More" philosophy with a slightly different approach.

Common Minimalism (Living room sets)

My Perspective
The main idea behind "Less is More" is that a space is intentionally designed to be simple yet still admirable. This is important to my personal philosophy; however, I also tend to focus on the process itself. I believe that it is important to recognize when a design is at its peak so as to not overrun it with additional ideas. It would be incorrect of me to say that I believe you should not work on a design even if it's not to your liking, but rather appreciate the lack of complexity in a simple design. Adding more to a design will not always improve it and that is something that a lot of designers, including myself, struggle with. However, it is an important concept that when mastered, will lead designers to create wonderful works in a timely manner.

Chair Isometrics Sketch by Warner

Chair Photo by Warner

Above are two sketches and an image showing my recent chair design. It is easy to tell that this design is quite simple and is straight to the point when meeting the needs of the client. I believe that although it is simple in design, anything added to it would have become overcomplicated. What are your thoughts? Do you agree with the philosophy "Less is More"? If so, how do you incorporate this idea in your own work?

Citations

Living room sets. Living Room Furniture Sets for Sale. (n.d.). https://www.roomstogo.com/furniture/living-rooms/sets

Merkel, J. (2010, July 1). When less was more. The New York Times. https://archive.nytimes.com/opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/when-less-was-more/

Team, A. (2021, March 27). Less is more: Mies van der Rohe, a pioneer of the Modern Movement. https://www.archdaily.com/350573/happy-127th-birthday-mies-van-der-rohe