Final section on simplicity
The creation of simplicity is a constant struggle. Not only is one removing, cutting, pruning, so as to lay bare the structure of what exists, uncluttered. That is hard enough.
But one has to maintain a continuous awareness that our present use of the word “simple” is contaminated and erroneous.
In the 20th century we assumed that to be simple is to use drastic geometric shapes lacking in structure. Yet nature teaches us that what is truly simple — a waterfall say — is vastly complex — as a structure — and yet vastly simple in its essence.
Thus we must strive for something which is utterly simple, in the sense that there is nothing unwanted there, nothing extra.
At the same time we know that if we succeed in being truly simple, we reach a fine filigree of levels upon levels in which every part is unique, each adapted to the one unique spot in the world where it lies.
It is the geometry, this pattern of pure organization, which has the ability to connect us to the universe, to mobilize our feeling, to induce deep feeling in us — and to connect us to ourselves. It does not really matter what the “content” is.
When we listen to a Mozart piano concerto, or Beethoven’s quartet #14 in C-sharp minor — the music has tremendous meaning. Obviously, this does not happen in a practical realm. The thing which has this effect on me is a pure organization of sound.
In architecture, the same is true. Although the real content is there all the time, in the background — and although it is real human life, ecological life, and social and spiritual life which is at stake — still, too careful or too penny-pinching a regard for these practical problems will always produce trivial results. What matters is the organization itself, the geometric organization — and the ability of this geometric organization to penetrate to the core of being human.
So, what matters in the building is the pure physical pattern of the centers, how deep it reaches, how far it manages to go in activating my feeling. My effort, in making the building, must constantly be to create, and activate, a pure pattern of physical geometry — ultimately material and light — and the depth of the impact which this pure pattern of organization has on me, on my self, on my soul — to what extent it mobilizes my feeling.
Even knowing this, as I do, it is such a struggle to keep on with the geometry. In painting, I try to make a realistic scene. I look at the life there. I try to make the picture come to life, and half of me is asking, What makes it real? What makes it real? I try to paint what I see. But I have to shout at myself, all the time, play, play, play, stop worrying about realism. Just make sure the actual shapes are beautiful, and that the geometry works, that the arrangement of the shapes is beautiful.
This means all the shapes, the space between things, and the things, and the shadows, the creases, the fold in the tree trunk. Each shape must be beautiful, supporting the other shapes. This is an incessant work. I have to keep forcing myself, reminding myself. That is why the idea that the spirit and the life, in the end, lie only in the geometry, has to be repeated every day, every morning, every afternoon.
In building, the same thing. More difficult, even, because it is more obvious. I work hard, hour after hour, month after month, I try to make the building right. I pay attention to the passage, the width, the length, the feeling, the light, the comfort, the size of the window, and so on. Always I am trying to make it comfortable. But again, what I have to do, to make it live, every shape must be beautiful. The window sill. The top of the column. The door. The window over the door. The wall between the windows. The edge of the roof. Is it the most beautiful I can make it? Just don’t forget. Just don’t forget. Keep doing it. It is only when I do that, have joyful fun, do nothing else, just keep on doing that, to make each shape beautiful, that the thing begins to gain its life. It ought to be easy. But it is so hard.
O Gauguin.
#book/The Nature of Order/2 The process of creating life/17 Simplicity#