Are there any concepts in design that are more complicated than simplicity? This paradox was on my mind recently when I was driving through the Loire Valley and looking at the various forms of architecture I passed.
 In the Loire, big chateaus are plentiful and these grand statements rise up from the landscape like wedding cakes or models for Disneyland sets. Why is it hard to see them as serious pieces of architecture? It could be because the main function they served was as country homes for the wealthy (and sometimes for their mistresses) – somewhat indulgent by nature and functional to a small slice of the population. But if personal indulgence was the issue, then we might be equally critical of our favorite large modern residences, like Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. Instead, I believe the explanation for these statements of grandeur may be found in what surrounds them: basic farm buildings, barns, storage sheds and peasants' cottages. Many of these have a Shaker-like simplicity in their modest and purely functional structures, with excellent proportions and pleasing rooflines. They fit well with their sites, and almost always exude an underlying simplicity. Many chateaus, especially at their rooflines, have wild ornamental spires, and like a goofy hat on a head, they take you away from the underlying character of the structure beneath. They are anything but simple. "Simplicity" seemed to be the core of this design discrepancy, but simplicity is not so simple to define.
 I went searching for some good writing on the subject of simplicity and did not find much that was helpful. Dictionaries define the word as "not complex" or "the quality of being simple," which are both pretty obvious. Other definitions range from "austere" to "foolish." Yet simplicity is a favorite term used in our design community, and we all seem to agree that it is a good thing. But like trying to define "beauty" or the taste of a peach, words and rational analysis fail. I even emailed my writer friends for guidance on good reads on simplicity, and they were not much help. Even the articulate George Nelson shies away from defining this concept.
So I turned to John Maeda's The Laws of Simplicity, a book I continue to describe as the best 100 pages of design I have read this year. The book is divided into 10 chapters – Reduce, Organize, Time, Learn, Differences, Context, Emotion, Trust, Failure, The One – each full of examples that make the book a quick, "simple" read. The title might be pretentious or off-putting were it not for the fact that Maeda is forever humorous and self-effacing rather than didactic. He begins the book with a confession that his early years of creating digital "eye candy" were probably mistakes.
I had Maeda's book with me in France, and it helped me appreciate what it was about the simplicity of the Loire farm buildings that gave me pleasure. Being that Maeda is an email acquaintance of mine, I’ve taken the liberty of illustrating some of the chapters in his book using photos I took while in France.
Law 1: Reduce.The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction. –John Maeda
A reduction of decorative spires and roofline ornament would enormously simplify these chateaus. In France, the common roadside signage that replaces words with symbols demonstrates simple graphics at their best. And even when they do use words, they seem to employ very direct and unencumbered words in red and black that communicate simply and effectively.
Law 2: Organize. Organization makes a system of many appear fewer. –John Maeda
Bundles of differently shaped radishes, multicolored foils on bottles of champagne or stacks of ceramic mugs, appear simpler and more pleasing with organization.
Law 3: Time. Savings in time feel like simplicity. –John Maeda
The superb train that links London to Paris and the speedy TGV in France greatly facilitate transportation by reducing the number of decisions riders need to make. In contrast, getting in and out of airports has become a time-consuming and complicated affair involving numerous steps.
Law 4: Learn. Knowledge makes everything simpler. –John Maeda
Does anyone really understand French wine? There are 35,000 unique wines produced in France every year, and many stores carry hundreds that appear identical by the form and label. Becoming familiar with the basic French appellations and geographies breaks down the system into easier chunks. And this is fun work.
Law 5: Differences. Simplicity and complexity need each other. –John Maeda
The Jean Nouvel-designed hotel in Bordeaux helps define the nearby church and vice versa. In Bordeaux, I found some ancient tower forms that help define the contrasting adjacent "modern" structure.
Law 9: Failure. Some things can never be made simple. –John Maeda
Here is the paradox. Have you ever seen a more delightful shutter latch? There is a human element that can add a level of meaning and personality that will almost always fly in the face of simplicity or functional reduction. The maxim that form follows function runs amuck in a world where art and emotions matter.
I was once quoted as saying, "If brevity is the soul of wit then simplicity is the soul of design." I believe this, and I believe that Maeda's book is a valuable tool in making this concept clearer and better organized, i.e. simpler. We often take simplicity for granted because the great modernist designers have given us the physical embodiment of simplicity in their forms. An Aalto stool, an Eames chair or a Mies table seem to define simplicity by their very essence. Fortunately for these characters they did not have to define their concepts in words.
Click here for other examples of "simplicity" taken from around France.
To purchase Maeda's book (one of many that he's written), go to Powell's at: http://www.powells.com/
More information about John Maeda can be found at lawsofsimplicity.com.
Best,
Rob Forbes
Founder
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"Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple."
–Charles Mingus
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This is the only time this year that Herman Miller will be on sale. Save 10% on the Eames® Lounge and Ottoman, the Nelson™ Swag Leg Desk, the Limited Edition LCW in santos palisander and more. Sale ends Saturday, June 16.
Shop the Serious Sale.
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March Contest Winners
We received almost 1,000 guesses in our "Identify the Place" contest, ranging from Vietnam to Chile (Sweden was the most popular guess). Three Design Notes readers responded with the correct answer: Ile d'Oléron, off the Atlantic coast of France. Congratulations to our winners: Kurt Evans, Celine Blanchard and Diane Ward.
Read March newsletter.
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Gravity-Defying Storage
The Flying Vee Shelves by brothers Christopher and Paul Massie can be mounted at any angle to hold books, CDs or DVDs, artwork, flowers or anything else that can benefit from creative display. The shelves are sold in sets of five and available in three colors.
Storage of all angles. |
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Fun and Functional
When designing his Pix Table, Peter Schaffner had four specific goals: The table had to be multipurpose, timeless, space saving and easy to assemble. The result is a patented design using a two-part base and a tabletop that "snaps" into place to create a surprisingly sturdy table. Pix can be set up in less than a minute. When not in use, it stores flat.
See the Pix Tables. |
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Studio Events
There's a lot happening at DWR Studios. A sampling of current events include:
06.21.07
An Evening with Marmol Radziner + Associates
Location: Austin
Join us for a discussion of restoration of mid-century modern architecture and how it relates to 21st-century prefab modern design.
06.23.07
The Design Within Reach Airstream
Location: Princeton
You've seen the DWR Airstream online and in our catalog, and now you can come by and experience it for yourself.
See all DWR Studio events. |
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From the Blog
Herman Miller product manager Gregg Vander Kooi tells us about selecting colors for the Eames® LCW and finding inspiration in textiles designed by Alexander Girard, among other sources.
Read the full post.
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