Tag: minimalist | ArchDaily

Building Lightness Through Glass and Frames

Eduardo Souza — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 06:45:00 +0000

Throughout much of history, weight has been closely associated with the very idea of architecture. Vitruvius, whose notion of firmitas linked construction to stability and permanence, understood solidity as one of its fundamental qualities, and building largely meant resisting the effects of time, gravity, and natural forces. In Greek and Roman architecture, monumentality depended on the available construction systems and materials, such as stone and solid masonry, whose expression was defined by mass, thickness, and structural repetition. Columns, walls, and podiums, beyond supporting buildings, asserted their presence in the territory, communicating order, durability, and power. Architecture met the ground with weight.

The Kitchen in the New Spatial Economy: 5 Contemporary Design Approaches

Enrique Tovar — Tue, 27 May 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Space has become a luxury in many of the world's most densely populated cities—a growing reality that's hard to ignore. Megacities like Tokyo, Shanghai, Mumbai, Mexico City, and São Paulo already have populations exceeding 20 million, while other urban centers across Asia and Africa continue to expand rapidly. Among these, Delhi stands out: if current trends continue, it is projected to become the most populous city by 2028. As these cities expand, housing—especially new developments—follows a new logic: as square meters shrink, furniture adapts, and daily life learns to fit and thrive in high-density environments. This change isn't just about size; it reflects a new way of living. Where spaciousness once dominated, density now rules. Every corner gains spatial and commercial value, with the kitchen emerging as one of the biggest challenges in housing design today.

Less or More? The Psychological Influence of Minimalist and Maximalist Spaces

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Between silence and chaos, we shape our world. Every space we inhabit tells a story, evokes emotions, and influences our thoughts. Minimalism, with its lightness and purpose, invites serenity. Maximalism, exuberant and vibrant, celebrates personality in every detail. But how do these philosophies affect our minds? Understanding their psychological impact can be key to creating environments that enhance well-being and bring harmony to life.

Reframing the Concept of Building Envelope Through Minimalist Windows

Enrique Tovar — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 01:30:00 +0000

When we talk about the building envelope, we often make the analogy of a skin that protects and wraps the structure, creating a transition in the physical environment. This concept is interesting as it identifies that, similar to its function in humans, the skin plays a role in protecting and regulating the interior setting, besides contributing to the aesthetics of the building. In this way, both the human skin and the building envelope act as elements that respond to the stimuli of the surroundings and the life that develops within them. More than just protective barriers, they are experienced as means of active interaction with the context.

Redrawing Boundaries: The Three Principles of Minimalist Windows

Enrique Tovar — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 01:30:00 +0000

In the context of WWI and to address the massive housing shortage resulting from the conflict, the Dom-Ino modular structure, one of the most significant contributions of functionalism and designed by the Swiss designers Le Corbusier and Max Dubois, established concrete premises for a new vision of a lightweight structural model that optimizes the construction process. Thanks to the use of a reinforced concrete slab and column system, the Dom-Ino structure allowed for the flexible arrangement of elements in the floor plan and freed the facade from the limitations imposed by load-bearing walls.

Minimalist Modern: The Architecture of Rural Retreats

Eric Baldwin — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 07:30:00 +0000

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.

Christophe Benichou Architecture Designs Minimalist Desert Residence

Lilly Cao — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Christophe Benichou Architecture's recent project Sesame is solitary and monolithic. Located in a desert, its facades are split open and fragmented, leaving parts of the walls slightly ajar. In each of these cavities sit icons of domesticity, including a bed, table, bathtub, sink, and toilet.

John Pawson on Making Calm, Simple Spaces

Megan Schires — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 10:00:00 +0000

This article was made in partnership with Design Indaba, a website and annual festival that uncovers innovation for good. Click here to learn more about the annual event.

It took a few years and multiple failed career attempts for renowned minimalist designer John Pawson to truly enter the world of architecture. Though he’d cultivated an interest in design from a young age, he’d initially shied away due to his beliefs that he needed to be good at math and that design was an innate skill rather than something that could be taught.

Beijing Area Three Art Museum / CUN Design

罗靖琳 — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 20:00:00 +0000

Every time I met a space, for me, it always means a start of breaking boundaries, which appears more as a status of keeping self-breakthrough and the story created behind the status. The design method applied on this space, however, acts as the medium conveying mood and narrative. Then how do we break the rules? One of the architect Cui Shu’s best friends, Wu Wei, started a project with Cui to again achieve their breakthrough.