What is Less ?

Introduction:

Less means a small quantity, that we all know but what actually is less when it comes to architecture. 

Is less more? Is less bore? Is less better or worse? For people thinking I have hurt my head and not making any sense. These questions are derived from quotes of some famous scholars. Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe said "Less is More", Robert Venturi said "Less is bore", Dieter Rams said "Less but better" and R Buckminster Fuller said "Doing more with less". The reason I care is because these quotes are been used in our class almost every day and it's high time for us to understand what it means. So, let's get to the bottom of it. 

Less is More:

Why would Van Der Rohe say less is more. It's like saying even is odd. Less is literally the opposite of more. In an era where people kept wanting for more. Rohe meant Less is enough. This is a minimalistic concept, a simpler and subtle approach. It includes less ornamentation, lesser furniture, less clutter all contributing to more space. Not just in architecture but apply it anywhere and it makes sense. Less stress, more calm. Less toxic, more healthy. Less problems, more happiness. Less workload, just fiction.

Van Der Rohe believes that less is good, quantity doesn't always reflects the quality. Fewer elements executed properly have greater impact than loads of element kept for namesake. Only keep what's necessary and that will create a subtle and simple space that has less rubbish and more space for you. Can be applied in life too, but this is not that kind of a blog so let's avoid that road. 

Less is Bore:

Robert Venturi was an anti-minimalist therefore less was bore to him. Venturi started the post modern movement, where it was okay to do more, more colors, more furniture, more elements, more everything. There is a book named "Less is a bore" By Phaidon which has around 200 post modern structures which emphasizes on Venturi's Less is Bore. The structures shown are truly "Not Bore". Some people may like those structures but some people will use words like "gaudy" to describe them. You can have a look at them and decide for yourself which group of people you belong to. Venturi's structures weren't really appreciated by everyone as he added More of everything and that was new then , people weren't ready for it and after looking at the structures maybe they still aren't atleast I am not.

Less but Better:

Dieter Rams is a designer, apart from "Less but Better", another beautiful quote from him is, "You cannot understand good design if you do not understand people". Goes to say that you have to know the user to design anything for him, whether a pen or a house. Rams have also written 10 commandments for good design, which designers still follow. So, if you ever get stuck while designing, ask Rams. Coming back to point, Less but Better was taken from his speech where he said "Good design is as little design as possible". In other words, Rams meant, simple but not basic. With Rohe saying that less is enough and Venturi arguing that it is not, Rams achieved a balance by saying Less but better.  Less doesn't have to be ugly.

The clutter should be less but it shouldn't feel empty. The elements should be few but the functionality shouldn't be affected. You choose simple options but the aesthetic shouldn't be ruined. We use only what we need, nothing more because then that becomes extra. You use the minimum needed and make beauty out of it. We take only the necessities and decorate it aesthetically. 

Doing More with Less:

Buckminster Fuller said this and he simply meant to produce more results with fewer resources. I doubt it has got anything to do with architecture but it says to be productive, efficient and effective and that can be applied in any field. Life throws lemon so you make lemonade is modern version of this quote. If taken architecturally, you use whatever raw materials are available to you and make the most of it. You use locally available resources or easily available ones or the cheaper ones and make an aesthetic workable structure out of it. I don't have to explain this quote to architects because they practice this in their lives more often than they want to as they mostly work More with Less fees. So, even though this quote wasn't meant for architects, they practice it the most.

Personal Note:

All above quotes use the word "less" with different meanings. So, what exactly is less? It varies from person to person and from situation to situation. Everyone makes sense in their place. Rohe said less is enough, it makes sense when you see how less helps you save space, money and time. So, yes less is enough but Venturi said that it is boring. If you can afford everything, you have the big space, you have the money needed why would anyone settle for less? No, they won't so for them less is boring, they are free to empty their pocket and fill their huge mansions with anything they want. Rams said less but better. I relate to him the most. 'Fewer but Better' should be my Life's title. Everything only the amount it is needed but better looking and better functioning. You could be doing the bare minimum and still slay. Fuller said Do more with Less and it's something we all should look at every morning before starting the day to avoid disappointments and to remind ourselves to keep working with whatever we got.

As for me, "Less is Subjective". Varies from people to people and time to time, Less drama, good but less fries, bad. So, less is subjective. Let the unwanted things be actually less and wanted things never be less, let us never have so less that we get bored, let whatever less we experience keep getting better and let us keep working more with all the less in our life and let's use "less" less in my next blog. 

By Isha Mutha

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