Yearning for perfection : minimalist architecture in the Maltese Islands

Abstract

What is Minimalism in architecture? Is it simply an architecture of emptiness, of blank planes and white surfaces? It may seem so at a glance, yet observers of competently designed minimalist work seem to be enticed to look deeper, to go beyond what is immediately perceived. Minimalism has been a constituent of architectural design for centuries, but more recently this design philosophy has started to become a prominent design ethic which seems to be challenging the fast paced nature of contemporary life. It is an aesthetic based on reduction. A reduction of all things that are unnecessary to the design, from ornamental detailing to partitions and structural components. Yet this reduction brings with it its own unique ornamental quality, through clean detailing and strong lines. This reductive nature inevitably leads to the quest for perfection in every aspect of the design scheme, since the more an object is reduced to its essence, the more the need for each component to be precise in its configuration and in the manner it connects to other components of the overall composition. For this reason, successful Minimalist designs aim towards precision in both selection and detailing of forms. Everything must be in place: a feature whid1 t-an give these Minimalist spaces an aura of being unused. Although the ideas behind these designs are the same, the results can be widely different, leading to sub-categorising of the different Minimalist approaches: such as the London Minimal, Mediterranean Minimal and the Japanese Minimalist approach Can these seemingly foreign values in architecture be applied to the Maltese Islands successfully? Four case studies show how, even though Minimalism in Malta is still in its formative years, there is a growing sensibility towards the Minimal. Some may appear to be Minimalist at first glance, while others may require deeper understanding of the design scheme. All however, hold a deeper meaning than the sum of their parts.