Minimalism has shaped architecture for over a century. Embracing new materials and rejecting ornament, the modernist movement grounded minimalist architecture through rational use and function. Throughout the 20th century, architects returned to minimalism as they worked with glass, steel and reinforced concrete. Over time, minimalist and modernist designs became more closely tied to cost, construction and aesthetic. Minimalism began as an art movement after World War II, and later became a prominent design aesthetic in the 1960s and 1970s. Minimalist architecture became popular in the late 1980s in London and New York, where projects often featured simple details, stark white backdrops, and sparse furnishings. In contemporary architecture, minimalism combines clean lines, a refined material palette, and architectural profiles that are usually tied to iconic geometry. There are many influences, including the De Stijl and Bauhaus movements, and traditional Japanese architecture. The term minimalism has also been used to describe when a subject is reduced to its necessary elements.
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