Finding the Essence

Having arrived at this perhaps paradoxical junction, we seek ways to muffle the noise, declutter our vision and carve out corners of stillness. We find ourselves wishing to be freed from the weight of too many things and too much information, wishing to live only with what is essential for well-being. At this moment, the question becomes selective and reductive: "What can I live without?"

While this realization can arrive at any point in life, the idea is far from modern or unique. Many ancient cultures across the globe have preached the notion that simplicity leads to inner peace and contentedness: that the human mind needs quiet to focus on what is truly meaningful and joyful. In the highly developed metropolises of today, this idea feels out of reach. Over thousands of years, the steady progression from modest village life to populous and hierarchical civilizations has increased the value of the material, arguably at the expense of the spiritual. We have been taught to prioritize temporary pleasures and acquisitions, repeatedly, until our lives are anything but simple. This path has led to a deprioritization of basic, immaterial human needs such as a connection to others, a sensory relationship with nature, a feeling of security as well as autonomy and clarity about our role within the wider community.

While we must acknowledge the failures of the material world in this aspect, the material can also provide a balm to restore balance to daily life and to future-proof the built environment. Architecture, design and sculpture have grappled with the tension between "less" and "more" for centuries and continue to play a vital role in the search for a spatial equilibrium that satisfies human needs and pleases the senses, while leaving enough freedom to dream. After all, architecture's purpose is to address an instinct to dwell. In response to a noisy and over-technologized world, human-centric architecture and design, the kind The Soft Minimal practices and works toward, can be our sanctuary. It may seem effortless to create simple works, yet eliminating the irrelevant to emphasize the important is more challenging than its opposite. That is why the designers at The Soft Minimal must question, listen to and understand what is important in the lives of the customers the space or work of art is intended to serve. The process requires that deep aesthetic and philosophical thought be given to every single detail, spatial arrangement and material, so that those with true value come forward while the rest recede, ultimately arriving at a pure form.

The Modernist movement provided perhaps the most extreme example of Minimalism: an overcorrection to earlier aesthetic movements that forgot the human body and psyche and left the senses wanting. Modern spaces became so empty, industrial and clinical, that the soft human form felt alien and abandoned within the too vast, floor-to-ceiling glass walls. In the Modernist credo, function and simplicity were hailed above all. While its goals were noble, Modernism's reductive design process demolished everything in its path, even that which had important human-centric value. It was in understanding this that The Soft Minimal and the philosophy of Soft Minimalism came to be.

If, instead, we aim for the virtues of simplicity and function while also considering the human experience, we can arrive at homes, workplaces, tables, chairs and works of art that are empathetically expressive. These designs, like those of Modernism, may still avoid superfluous details and may succeed at providing inclusive utility, yet they can also gently awaken our senses in a manner that feels hopeful, helpful, honest and beautiful. The goal is for functional designs with a haptic quality that work simply, and simply feel good.

"Essentialism," or "Soft Minimalism," as we refer to it at The Soft Minimal, can be reached through this kind of deep reflection on what matters; by adding and reducing elements until equilibrium emerges; and by remaining attuned to the atmospheric and autonomous potential of space. As engagement with nature is essential to human well-being, natural materials and forms, natural light and quiet acoustics become synonymous with haptic design. We use sensory materials that remind us of nature and, therefore, calm us. In our essentialist design approach, decoration is not as taboo as the Minimalists insist but is used with great restraint so as not to dominate the space. It is always authentic to the context and inhabitant, and it is there to add warmth and personality rather than clutter. In this way, every object serves its user and when taken as a whole, the space serves as the background for an autonomous life.

Creating simple yet sensuous works of art, like those of The Soft Minimal, requires a sincere devotion to craftsmanship and the ambition to work with high-quality materials and detailing. Simplicity can sometimes be laborious and luxurious. It is more difficult to be selective than it is to be excessive, and it takes a great deal of skill to craft works of art and sculptures that work well while hiding everything except the essentials. Every joint, connection and detail of our works are intentional and finely tuned, each of them contributing their specific role to a larger whole that engages us on an emotional and practical level. An essentialist mindset also urges us to create well-made works of art and spaces that last, rather than succumbing to passing trends or construction shortcuts. If the design reduces itself to its essence and nothing more, and if it is made intentionally, we are often choosing a more sustainable path.