The contemporary minimalism: are the principles of minimalism applicable in design of marathon races?

Abstract

The following work scrutinises contemporary minimalist design for the identification of a public marathon race. This particular sporting event served as a basis for analysis because of the special features of running activities today as much as their increasing popularity, common character, importance for individuals and society, accessibility, and its relatively low cost. At its outset the study will focus on defining the meaning of contemporary minimalism by outlining a number of (historical) approaches within music, art, design, and architecture. The philosophical influences of asceticism and the philosophy of simplicity will also be considered in order to outline the concept of minimalism today. The subsequent section will describe the current features of minimalism in art and living, focusing on activities such as sport and travel. In addition, influences from other fields like music, art, design, philosophy will also be explained. This component will serve to identify the principles of contemporary minimalism that ought to be applied in the design process. Next, the research will describe a design process for a fictitious edition of the Warsaw Marathon, where contemporary minimalist features presented in the first part will be applied in the project. The conclusion will review the issues presented at the beginning of the study, highlighting what has been achieved in the project, as well as providing an answer to the meaningful use of minimalism in design today.