The Power of White Space | 02

“Typography is really white. It is not even black. It is the space between the blacks that really makes it.”

- Massimo Vignelli | Italian Designer

I dabbled in Chinese painting as a teenager for a little while. I love the delicate white rice paper, the simple composition, the bold paint strokes, and the ample white space. This makes Chinese painting timeless.

Let the White Space be the Hero

White space takes on different names in different art forms – negative space in painting and graphic design, the void in architecture, rest in music. These should be treated as the main element in art making, not an after-thought or just the background. The white space is the hero. It has the power to direct our eye movement, frame our focus. It creates room to breathe and pause.

The Courtyard

In my first year of architecture, we were asked to create a simple model applying the figure and groundprinciple where collective solid shapes form the void - the empty space - which becomes the main element in the architectural composition, taking a life of its own.

The courtyard in traditional Chinese architecture is a great example. It is void and yet the center of the whole architectural composition. The courtyard is a flexible space where different activities can happen, making it the most vibrant space in the entire building complex.

Next time you create, think about the white space. Let it be the hero.

Banner image : Snow-covered Mountain | Ink on paper | by Wu Guanzhong | 1997