SIMPLICITY X COMPLEXITY 
Simplicity is a process of adhering to the essence of use, to lack of ornament and to minimize the technical productibility and expressive rigor of utensils. Simplicity made contraction itself clear and comprehensive without denying its existence and its value as a material for establishing different. during my diploma last year, i was given a project to design a RnR centre for backpackers at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. The main purpose this project is a place for backpackers to give a sense of peaceful and relaxes feeling.
My case study for this project is the Douglas House by Richard Meier, my approach its analysis is not merely based on the technique that is used by him, but on how organizational principles of design are interpreted in conceptual manner. The first analysis I interpreted the house is the dialectic relation between open and closed, or as defined respectively in the house as public and private. This relation of open and closed also effected the structural composition of the house, where private area was surrounded by thick load bearing wall that diminished the transparency level, while the public area was constructed on a grid with thin columns and beams. Secondly, the use of light also helps me to understand the clear division between open and closed areas, where the light act as a separator between two different composition.
For this project, I’ve take some of the Richard Meier style, such
as huge load bearing wall and wide opening. Basically, my project is more simplicity
in design, flat roof, light materials and etc. My building has 2 storey and
have mezzanine floor. Starting from road level, there’s an entrance with L
shaped steel railing to the to the main entrance. Once enter the building there
is information counter and lounge where backpackers can relax and chill at the
lounge and buy map. There’s exit near the lounge have a ramp going down
straight to the café. For the mezzanine floor, there is a spa and foot
reflexology. This project has a lot of openings to allow air and sunshine
perpetrating into the building. There’s one area at information counter, I’ve
designed a skylight at the roof so people who comes in can get glance at the
sky during night time. During the design process, I mean to design this
building by the principle of simplicity because simplicity gives a sense of
clear, peaceful, and relax situation.
Architecture which enters into a symbiosis with light does not merely create form in light, by day and at night, but allow light to become form. -Richard Meier
In conclusion, every design has their own meaning and it take so
many years and process and to finalize it. A building should be design in sense
of clarity. It take a lot of effort to achieve, to sum up again: clarity to us
means to definite expression of the purpose of a building and a sincere
expression of its structure. Original Text from the article; the principle of
clarity, expresses itself in the technical and economic fields of architecture,
through emphasis in structural laws and practical function. We should adapt to
knowledge that we gain and fully use in our future design.