Hiba Al-Sharif_Simplicity vs Complexity Paper

R E S E A R C H
Simplicity vs Complexity
I N ARCHITECTURE
BY HIBA AL-SHARIF
1

INTRODUCTION
Page 4
S IMPLICITY AND
C OMPLEXITY I N
D E S I G N
Page 6
A
P
N A L Y Z E D
R O J E C T S
Page 14
T A B L E
C ONCLUSION
Page 24
OF CONTENTS
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INTRODUCTION
With the end of the nineteenth century a new architectural style emerged;
it is the Modernist architecture. Embracing minimalist design approach,
the modern style came as a rejection to it preceding architectural
styles. It encouraged the appreciation for simplicity and excluded
ornamentation necessity in design. With the introduction of new building
materials and technologies, new structural systems were developed.
They provided architects with far more freedom in design and influenced
their understanding of the building complexity. This paper discusses
how the emergence of the simplistic approach perceived in architecture
with the rise of modern movement, redefined the perception of the
need for ornamentation in architecture. It examines the interplay
between simplicity and complexity in architecture and their coexistence.
4 A Collage of the 20 Centuery Modernist Famous Architecture
5

SIMPLICITY AND
COMPLEXITY I N
D E S I G N
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”
Leonardo Da Vinci.
This statement for years has been the basis of design for many architects and
designers. It pictures simplicity as the ultimate clarity and functionality in design by
using minimalist elements revealing their most honest form. In the beginning of the
eighteen hundreds, with the industrial development, people started to reconsider
the need for ornamentation that was previously integrated in architecture. They
implemented advanced development of steel production and technology to
achieve designs that just serve the required function and avoid excess in form.
6 Leonardo Da Vinci- Italian Renaissance Artist and Engineer
7

The direct definition for simplicity in architecture is building no more than
necessary. It rejects excess, appears effortless, and lends small gestures
great importance. Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, one of the pioneers for
modernist architecture, has a famous maxim “Less is More”, it is the
best support for this impression regarding simplicity (Goldberger 5).
Furthermore, for Vittorio Gregotti, an Italian urban planner and theorist, defines
a building simple not if it was built from elementary geometry, or because it is
immediately visible, or even because in its connections the logic is clear, but
because all its part shows their importance in the design ( KJ Architects 1).
8 A Collage of Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe Simplistic Masterpieces
9

On the other hand, complexity can be interpreted as “the theory of how emergent
organization may be achieved by the interaction with components pushed far from
equilibrium to the threshold between order and disorder (chaos)” (Sala 36) Complexity
in design may lie in the way spaces within the building are arranged, the program of the
design, or even the connection between the indoor and outdoor functions of a design.
Robert Venturi in his article ‘Experts from Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture’
mentioned how several of the twenty century architects were misunderstood
for the simplicity in their work. They rejected simplification as “simplicity through
reduction in order to promote complexity” (Smith 30). Some theorists emphasized
on how adopted simplicity in design must not be translated to oversimplification.
There must be a balance between doing the necessary and required, and
adopting a complex form for the space. He framed a great example that
resembled simplicity and complexity in a single design; Alvar Aalto Imatra church.
10 A Collage of Modern Complex Buildings
11

Some theorists emphasized on how adopted simplicity in design must not be
translated to oversimplification. There must be a balance between doing the
necessary and required, and adopting a complex form for the space. He framed a
great example that resembled simplicity and complexity in a single design; Alvar
Aalto Imatra church. It represents a marriage of simplicity and functionality,
while complexity in his design is part of the church program and structure.
Referring to complexity in architecture, Vittorio Gregotti suggests that
complexity can be used “to add more perceived value to a solution” ( KJ Architects 1).
He provided an example of designing an extension to an existing building
where in many situations, complex solutions are the best adapting solution
to an existing structure. A good example to this would be Renzo
Piano’s Bulbous Pathé Foundation Headquarters in Paris (Wang 3).
Left -Bulbous Pathé Foundation Headquarters
12 Right -Imatra Church Form and Interior View
13

To comprehend the meanings and characteristics of simplicity and
complexity in architecture, this section of the paper analyzes some
examples of buildings that symbolize both examined design
approaches; simplicity and complexity in different contexts.
A N A L Y Z E D
P R O J E C T S
14 15

SIMPLICITY
Project: The Whitney Museum
Architect: Marcel Breuer
Location: Manhattan ,New York, United States
Commissioner: Serpentine Gallery
Area: 2320m²
Year of Completion: 1966
A great example for simplicity in architecture is Marcel Breuer’s The Whitney Museum.
Both simplicity and minimalism are the buildings loudest attributes. Greatly
influenced by both modernism innovation and Bauhaus features, Breuer’s
design represent, to a large extent, the principle of ‘ form follows function’. It
has a strong emphasis on geometry and lines with no efforts spent on decorative
elements or embellishments. The only decorative elements that are integrated
in the design are the three “steps- like insertions” in one of its elevations
(Banham 3). Although these steps may seem abstract, their form perform a
specific function; indicate each of the four floors of the museum. Here, simplicity
in design is represented in the exterior, interior, form and also program.
Left -Marcel Breuer- 20 Centuery Modernisim Pioneer
16 Right -Marcel Breuer’s The Whitney Museum
17

Project: The DBJC house
Architect: Alberto Campo Baeza
Location: Conil, Cádiz, Spain
Commissioner: Juan de Blas Zabaleta, Antonio Jiménez Cano
Area: 460 m²
Year of Completion: 2005
Another great example of simplicity in architecture is DBJC house by
Alberto Campo Baeza. Influenced by Mies Van Der Rohe’s Barcelona pavilion,
the house features a fluid interior space and minimalist use of materials
blocking the sea view. The house volumes blend with the landscape creating
a clear transition from the interior to the exterior through the transparent
simple forms and materials used. These materials and forms that were used create
an open light-filled interior space. It can be said that this building’s absolute
minimalism is a successful representative poetry of true simplicity (Baeza 2).
Left -DBJC house in Conil, Cádiz, Spain
18 Right -Alberto Campo Baeza
19

C O M P L E X I T Y
Project: Serpentine pavilion
Architect: Toyo Ito and Cecil Balmon
Location: City of Westminster, United Kingdom
Commissioner: Serpentine Gallery
Area: 309 m²
Year of Completion: 2002
Where many architects attempt to create either ultimate simplicity or ultimate
complexity in their designs, only few understands the importance of both design
approaches to coexist. There is fine line between simplicity and complexity
in architecture. There is a prevalent opinion that simplicity is translated as function
over form, and complexity is the form over function. Toyo Ito and Cecil
Balmon in their Serpentine pavilion design demonstrated an opposite perception
to this reciprocal opinion (Kolarevic 27). The random complex pattern that
they created for their pavilion exterior is completely in contrast to the simplistic
approach that they adopted for the interior plan. The complexity in this design
came from simple algorithm of geometries put together where their transparency
and translucency where used to create the big image - complex form.
Top -2002 Serpentine pavilion
Bottom -The Process of Converting Simple Geometric
20 Forms to the Gallery’s Final Complex Form
21

Project: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Architect: Frank Gehr
Location: Bilbao, Spain
Commissioner: Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
Area: 24,000 m²
Year of Completion: 1997
One of the pioneers of architecture today is Frank Owen Gehry. Most of his
work resemble complexity in form and material. Both complexity and fractal
geometry are considered in most of his works. One of his masterpieces is
the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. This building is considered complex due to
both its form and the materials used in its design. The mathematical complexity
in Gehry’s design required advanced technologies and software to translate
his concept to the final structure (Helie 5). Besides, his choice of titanium
sheets for the building cladding adds to the building complexity although the
overall organic effect of all materials harmonize perfectly in a simplistic manner.
Top -Fran Owen Gehry
22 Bottom -Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
23

Marcel Breuer in his article “Where do we stand” mentioned what he considered
as the three “basic impulses of the New Architecture” (Breuer 20). The first one
he mentioned was “an absence of prejudice” (Breuer 3). He states that modern
simplistic movement emerged from an understanding of scientific principles
and employing a logical analysis instead of following a sequence of tradition.
The second was the ability to put oneself in immediate objective contact with a
specific task, issue or form. Last, is not to be restrained by traditions and the usual
“stock-in-trade” in your design (Breuer 3). In the past complexity in architecture,
blended with ornamentation, was associated with social or economical status,
modernism came to change this believe. However, even today with contemporary
buildings erected everywhere, the perception of ornamentation in ones building
is still a marker of the owner social status in the common public eyes. People
with no clear background of architectural theories tend translate simplicity in their
minds as the elementary geometry, although its is a design more straightforward
to build, serve the required function and give far fewer chances for mistakes.
C ONCLUSION
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
A N D
P I C T U R E S
CREDITS
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THEORY O F
ARCHITECTURE