SIMPLICITY vs COMPLEXITY
Leonardo da Vinci said before simplicity is the final sophistication in architecture. Simplicity in design will make us feel peace or inspires us, not only in architecture but also in other forms of design. Simplicity is a thing that is plain, natural or can be easy to understand.
My final project in design 3 when i was in diploma is to design a rest and relax centre for backpackers. The location of site at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, which are huge crowds of people. The main purpose of this project is to build a place to let the backpackers feel relax when they having a rest there. My case study for this project is the U House located at Tokyo, Japan. This house is built by Toyo Ito in 1976. The design for the house actually is L-shape but Toyo Ito's sister comes out a new design with visual relationship between the houses. This make the U-shaped design separated the territory of the family.
The style of my design and Toyo Ito style have a bit similar. For example, type of roof and visual relationship. I found that my layout of the design is based on simplicity because it just a round shaped surrounded with rectangle shaped. My design has only 1 storey except cafe and sleeping area. The top storey of cafe can let people to see around the view in Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman while they enjoying their foods and drinks.
The main entrance is faced to the main road to let people walk in and register themselves easier. The main entrance also located in the middle of my design so that workers can see through people walking around outside and inside the building. Each spaces is separated with each other is to have a smooth human circulation flow and more safe. For the lobby area, i have put many openings such as more windows and large entrance door so that people can easily find it during day or night. The spa, sauna and bathroom separated into 2 types which is 1 for woman and 1 for man. This function is to let people can feel more comfortable and relax themselves while they went in. Is also keep the privacy of the person. I also design a small laundry behide the building for those people that stay for few days or want to wash their clothes. The roof type in my design is shed roof. Shed roof is a style of roof that only have 1 single-sloped
“Architecture is not simple, it can only become simple. A building is not simple because its shape conform to elementary geometry, not because all of its immediately visible, or because the logic is evident in its connections, but because all its parts voice their necessity…. Reciprocally.” - Vittorio Gregotti
Conclusion, I agree with what Vittorio Gregotti said on simplicity. I also believe that simplicity is more important than complexity nowadays. In my opinion, simplicity is the definite expression of the function of the design and real representation of the structure. It can present itself and people also can easy to understand it. A simplicity building must this few characteristics. Simple architecture had distinctions observable on the exterior was well.
Unfortunately, design a simple building become a problem to architects nowadays because of high standard or requirement from people.