The Evolution of Web Design is Following That of Architecture

[Ryuzaki]

I happened across this post and I thought it was extremely interesting for several reasons:

Source: The Future of Web Design is Hidden in the History of Architecture

It lays out the main eras in architecture and shows a side by side comparison of a key piece of architecture from that period and compares it to a website from the analogous period. He goes...

1. Neolithic / Simple, limited structures / 1992
2. Classical / Order and proportion, with some embellishment / 1996
3. Romanesque / Thicker forms and rounder edges / 2000
4. Gothic / Ornate and mesmerizing / 2005
5. Renaissance / Clean, logical, and precise / 2012

And then anticipates Baroque, Neoclassical, and then us going "Neo" on all of the other styles. You can see the same thing happening in the music industry too, where bee-bop and swing is coming back.

Not only does this give us a framework of understanding styles in web design but let's us attempt to be ahead of the curve. Of course you can't push too far ahead or the culture will reject it.

It also, on a much larger philosophical level shows that there seems to be some kind of evolutionary path for the maturation of art forms embedded in our psyches.

 

[emp]

Can't wait for brutalism.
Look it up, guys.

::emp::

 

[Ryuzaki]

Nice, I'd never heard of "Brutalism," although I've seen it everywhere. Washington DC has it's fair share.

This one really caught my eye and I'd venture to say that this form of web design is already out there a bit:

It reminds me of a lot of tablet-centric designs using CSS cover attributes where you can swipe up, down, left, or right to move to the next portion.

 

[emp]

Well, that tongue-in cheek comment got a reply...

I also consider the original article tongue in cheek at best.

As for brutalistic web desgin...

• Cheap construction materials
• Exposure of function
• Modular construction
• Honesty by not hiding anything

Hmmm....
That would mean no big coding for design.
Using modules that are standard, and expose the functionality by sight.

So ...

• No (or little) CSS
• Standard HTML for usability

Use of standard, underlined blue links might be one element.

Meh...
I guess craigslist could be one example, or old ebay, ..

I also guess brutalist web design would be horrible to look at, but probably fast.

::emp::

 

[RomesFall]

I guess craigslist could be one example, or old ebay, ..


::emp::

Or of course http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/ lol

 

[mind_dust]

Computer design is definitely based on architecture.
Christopher Alexander et al. defined a series of patterns used in building design which correlated to computer science particularly well.

Here is a neolithic website discussing him a bit more.
Neoclassical is already here in my opinion.

 

[GoldMarketing]

Headquarters of Benito Mussolini. Brutalism.