Less Is More Or A Bored?

When talking about modern art, a phrase that associated by Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe’s Dogma,

‘Less is More’, originally from Andrea del Sarto by an English poet, Robert Browning. Artist and

designer in that era break away from the previous technique and ideas from the past and try to

establish style that has huge different with the past (Gombrich, 1958, p. 419 ). Ludwig Mies form

his own style in the industry of architectural, which makes him become the representative and icon

of modern architecture. Seagram Building is one of his iconic works, with glass wall and steel frame

create a clean and clear structure and exterior. ‘Less is more’ has shown on the exterior of this building

and become the reference of an office building all around the world in the future. 

 Image 1: Seagram Building by Ludwig Mies Der Rohe's Dogma

Another phrase, ‘Less is a bore’ by Robert Venturi (1966 ,p. 17), is often used in architectural industry

in the period of postmodern. Journalist from The New York Times ( Goldberger,1991 ) called him

a ‘Gentle Subverter of Modernism’. Unlike Ludwig Mies, Venturi creates his architecture with

elements he likes, which are hybrid, compromising, distorted and conventional (Venturi. R, 1966 ,p. 16)

. Vanna Venturi House become an exception when people are still fascinate on glass-cases

architecture. The exterior and the shape of the building looks balance even though the windows

and door place asymmetry. This building looks like an ordinary house the structure of the building

is fascinating. 

Image 2: Vanna Venturi House by Robert Venturi