MINIMALIST ARCHITECTURE AS A FRAMEWORK FOR EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, CULTURAL REFLECTION, AND SUSTAINABLE DESIGN: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ANALYSIS
Abstract
Minimalist architecture has emerged not only as an aesthetic practice but also as a multidimensional response to the psychological, cultural, and environmental demands of contemporary society. This article investigates how minimalist design embodies more than simplicity—acting as a mediator between space and spirit, tradition and innovation, materiality and mindfulness. Through an analysis of historical movements, Eastern philosophy, semiotic theory, environmental sustainability, and architectural psychology, the research positions minimalism as a design language that emphasizes clarity, authenticity, and resilience. This study synthesizes perspectives from Japanese Zen aesthetics, modernist European architecture, and contemporary global minimalism to explore how reduction in form leads to expansion in meaning. The results show that minimalist architecture improves mental well-being, fosters sustainable practices, and reflects cultural continuity through spatial and material awareness. The paper concludes that minimalism is not a stylistic endpoint, but a process-oriented philosophy that can address evolving human and ecological needs.
Keywords
Minimalist architecture, Zen Buddhism, Wabi-sabi, Ma (meaningful emptiness), Architecture and psychology, Aesthetic restraint, Environmental sustainability, Cultural identity.How to Cite
References
Vasilski, D. (2012). Minimalizam u arhitekturi: Kako jezik arhitekture predstavlja njen identitet [Minimalism in architecture: Architecture as a language of its identity]. Arhitektura i urbanizam, 34, 42–64. https://doi.org/10.5937/arhurb1234042V
Androudis, P., & Yangaki, A. G. (2014). A fragment of the “Pula type” of lustreware immured at the exonarthex of the katholikon of the Monastery of Hilandari (Mount Athos Peninsula). Zbornik Matice srpske za likovne umetnosti, 42, 277–290.
Feng, M. (2024). An analysis of the current popularity of Wabi-sabi style architecture. Academic Journal of Architecture and Geotechnical Engineering, 6(2), 46–50. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJAGE.2024.060209
Ogbonnaya, I. O., Alozie, G. C., & Aneke, C. G. (2024). Review of minimalistic architecture. International Journal of Research Findings in Engineering, Science and Technology (IJRFEST), 6(1), 104–112. https://doi.org/10.48028/iiprds/ijrfest.v5.i1.09
Charitonidou, M. (2022). Le Corbusier’s ineffable space and synchronism: From architecture as clear syntax to architecture as succession of events. Arts, 11(2), 48. https://doi.org/10.3390/arts11020048
Makvandi, M., & others. (2017). Minimalism in architecture with emphasis on Islamic art and architecture. Unpublished manuscript. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320076332
Cui, J. (2015). A minimalist approach to the urban design of open space: The landscape of Peter Walker (Master’s thesis, University of Florida). https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UFE0048736
Zonaga, A. (n.d.). De Stijl – Abstraction in architecture. Unpublished essay. https://www.academia.edu/30386739
Mahmoud, H. H. (n.d.). Interior architectural elements that affect human psychology and behavior. The International Conference: Cities’ Identity Through Architecture and Arts (CITAA). https://doi.org/10.21625/archive.v1i1.112
Frampton, K. (1985). Modern architecture: A critical history (Rev. ed.). Thames and Hudson
Lloyd, K. R., & Pennington, W. (2020). Towards a theory of minimalism and wellbeing. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 5, 121–136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-020-00030-y
Elangovan, S., & Madhumathi, A. (2021). Interpretation of minimalism in architecture according to various culture. International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), 10(7), 517–523.
Zalewska, J., & Cobel-Tokarska, M. (2016). Rationalization of pleasure and emotions: The analysis of the blogs of Polish minimalists. Polish Sociological Review, 4(196), 491– 506.
Hamdy, H. T. (2022). Minimalism concept in interior architecture design. Journal of Heritage and Design, 2(2), 396–410. https://doi.org/10.21608/jsos.2022.122417.1174
Vasilski, D. (2016). On minimalism in architecture: Space as experience. Spatium, 36, 61–66. https://doi.org/10.2298/SPAT1636061V
Alfirević, Đ., & Simonović Alfirević, S. (2019). Design principles for achieving spatiality in living space. Архитектура и урбанизам, 48, 37–53. https://doi.org/10.5937/a-u0-19740
Antariksa. (2002). Study on the philosophy and architecture of Zen Buddhism in Japan.
Dimensi Teknik Arsitektur, 30(1), 54–60. http://puslit.petra.ac.id/journals/architecture/
Ali, F. A. (2018). The influence of Le Corbusier on the emergence of the aesthetic values in the modern architecture of Cyprus. Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 2(1), 1–
12. https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2017.3651
Stoneham, B., & Smith, D. (2015). The house and the home: The balance of architecture and psychology within the residential home. Conference Paper. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282854099
Lloyd, K., & Pennington, W. (2020). Towards a theory of minimalism and wellbeing. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 5, 121–136. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-020-00030-y
Kamal, M. A., & Nasir, O. (2022). Minimalism in architecture: A basis for resource conservation and sustainable development. Facta Universitatis, Series: Architecture and Civil Engineering, 20(3), 277–300. https://doi.org/10.2298/FUACE221105021K
Prusinski, L. (2012). Wabi-sabi, mono no aware, and ma: Tracing traditional Japanese aesthetics through Japanese history. Studies on Asia, Series IV, 2(1), 25–33.
Manorima, B. A. P. H. (2007). Minimalist approach in contemporary residential architecture in urban context (Master’s dissertation). University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ilyas Bousmahi

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.