Minimalism

I used to think minimalism in design was an aesthetic choice, but it's not.

Minimalism is a gravitational pull to focus on whatever conveys clearest meaning, makes components multi-purpose, or simplifies production.

It's the pursuit of removing everything without loss of use or understanding.

Brutal minimalism, however, is an aesthetic choice.

It is when you cross beyond that line and remove even the necessary, leaving a void of information. A void that needs to be filled with guesses, secret knowledge, or conjecture from the user or viewer.

Design is the line between those. Too much, too little. Rinse, repeat. Brutal minimalism has it's place, but it's important to not be minimal for it's own sake.