13 February 2009 | Posted inBlog News & Updates, Featured
Simplicity/Complexity, part 2
Originally uploaded by Ryan Heath
I did this design discussion/ presentation with our Interiors group at work the other day which dove right into the realities of simplicity and complexity. We quickly found all of our perceptions to be different for the meaning of both of those words.
I tried to address the issue at all scales from product design to archtecture. I was really inspired by John Maeda’s talk for TED about how humanity really does love complexity. He went on to hypothesize that we really like simplicity when it comes to work, and that when it comes to enjoyment we enjoy complexity more. Kind of a Work=Less; Play=More philosophy, which makes sense.
In spatial terms I tried to address with my presentation how really whether at work or at home we still enjoy the same amount of complexity anywhere, especially at work. However, the stark difference is that the complexity has to be organized. We really like to see a lot of things going on, but only if we can see them in some sort of ‘hierarchical light.’ Repetition and Organizational patterning is actually a very soothing thing to the eye. The rhythmic order of complexity, even if we don’t see the logic, is something that can feel familiar and coherent and ultimately “simple.” While on the other hand, what we normally think of as being simple is often described as plain, boring, or minimal. This is often where simplicity and complexity get confused with easy and difficult, or plain and complicated. But really, those adjectives don’t address the problem spatially.
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Hi John…
I love John Maeda and his work…he demonstrates that simplicity and complexity really do need each other. My favourite of his laws of
simplicity…? “Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.”