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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.
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.
While envelopes evolve within diverse contexts, materials, and systems, minimalist windows distinguish themselves through their aesthetic qualities by being transparent and fluid skins. These windows excel with their functionality and visual lightness, standing out in the architectural landscape. In addition, they are noteworthy thanks to their versatility across different systems that connect life within the interior and exterior. Considering Swiss and Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor's statement that "architecture is exposed to life,” windows play a vital role in expressing that connection, becoming a significant part of the building's identity and essence.
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.
This condition prompted the creation of architectural designs that not only integrated windows as functional elements but also as compositional. Thanks to technological innovations, windows with slender framings and wider openings were achieved, as exemplified in works such as Villa Savoye and Farnsworth House. While these proposals redefined the aesthetics of architecture, the technological limitations of the time presented challenges. Nowadays, the continuous development of windows with improved technical characteristics has led to the concept of the minimalist window, which has inspired three fundamental principles derived from this concept, conceived by Vitrocsa. These principles —transparency, functional variations, and advanced mechanisms— incorporate technological innovations while simultaneously blurring spatial boundaries. Each of them plays a key role in the design of spaces and together they significantly redefine the aesthetics of buildings and interiors.
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'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.
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.
