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While the flat design evolution did not come out overnight, the journey from artistic movement to digital design philosophy is as colourful as its bright palettes. Let's dive deeper into that.
In 1920, during World War I, with all its shattering effects upon the world, it barely even began to set in. Artists rejected their elaborate forms. Little did they know they were fashioning a planet with a design revolution that would change our digital lives a century later.
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when nothing is left to take away." These are, of course, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's words that go all the way to express the heart of flat design. Let's unwind this fantastic history of flat design and discover the factors that catapulted it to the top of user interface design.
Flat Design History
Swiss Style 1940s-1950s:
This was post-war Switzerland. In an effort to try and find harmony in disarray, designers came up with something called Swiss Style, more commonly referred to as International Typographic Style. Key tenets were:
- Grid-based layouts
- Sans serif type
- Emphasis on clarity and objectivity
These thoughts gave rise to the minimalistic approach that flat design actually embraced.
Bauhaus Movement (1919-1933)
Although predating the Swiss Style, the influence of the Bauhaus school on flat design cannot be overstated. Its mantra was "Form follows function." It sounds familiar because we still use these principles. Here are some Bauhaus principles that resonated with flat design:
- It employs three primary colours
- Geometric shapes
- Lack of ornamentation
Modernism (Early to Mid-20th Century):
Modernism was another vast movement that crossed through several forms of expression. Its demands on simplicity, abstraction, and functionality correspond to the deeper roots beneath the flat design principles.
The Digital Age: The Emergence of Flat Design
Fast forward to the digital age. With the advent of computers, User Interface design encompassed:
Early GUIs (1980s)
Early graphical user interfaces had to be flat for technical reasons. If you have looked at the Macintosh launch by Steve Jobs during an Apple event, you would recall how blocky those early pixels of Macintosh computers looked.
Skeuomorphism Rules (1990-2000s)
As technology advanced, so did the designers' application of skeuomorphism - what digital interfaces were mimetic to real-world objects. Think of a desk recycle bin or a leather-bound calendar app.
Microsoft's Aggressive Play (2006 & 2011)
Of course, Microsoft's Zune media player introduced some elements of flat design, even though nobody called it such. This was a harbinger for Metro Design. And then came Windows 8 in 2011.
This was a massive debut for flat design. The new design language by Microsoft, Metro, boasts bright colours, simple icons, and a typography-centric approach, a whole new dimension to UI design.
The Flat Design Revolution
The stage was set, but this catapulted the flat design to meteoric heights.
Mobile First:
The sudden explosion of smartphones demanded a clear, fast-loading interface and came well-adaptable to multiple sizes, so flat designs work well on the bill. That's how we got the mobile-first approach.
Better Digital Literacy:
This was when users became smarter about technology, and skeuomorphic designs were no longer needed. Unlike the earlier ones, a notepad may not necessarily have to look like a notepad to understand its function.
App Adoption (2013):
That was the defining moment when Apple, known for skeuomorphic design aesthetics, touted flat design with iOS 7. Suddenly, it is flat design everywhere.
Responsive Design Requirements
Responsive design was long overdue with the proliferation of so many different sizes of screens. Simple, scalable elements of flat design presented the challenge perfectly well.
Cultural Change:
Architecture, fashion, and many other industries saw a much better stride at minimalism in culture during this period. That would be in flat design.
Flat design in action
Google Material Design in 2014
Although not relatively flat, Google's Material Design has brought most of the style's principles to countless Android apps and websites.
Airbnb Rebranding in 2014
In the case of Airbnb, using a flat, minimalist logo and interface showed how a simple design could reconstruct a robust, flexible brand image.
Microsoft's Fluent Design in 2017
On top of this well-known Metro, Fluent Design showed how flat design can evolve, integrating subtle depth and motion without losing one's soul.
So, it didn't change how interfaces looked, but the flat design changed an approach to digital design. The flat design removed the use of ornaments, hence making the design content-centric. Often, much simpler designs were made much faster and easier to alter, resulting in faster development. Accessible, Clean, high-contrast designs improve readability and accessibility for many users. A simple, flat design ensures uniform looks without considering the platforms or media involved, which brings brand agility.
End From its tentacles in the early 20th-century art movements, flat design has come a long way from dominating the digital interfaces of today. Within that ascent, the above aesthetic preference indicated a change in user needs, technical advancement and cultural shifts. Its look is relatively flat, but a new generation of "Flat 2.0" or "Semi-Flat" is slowly coming forward, meaning that even if the essence of simplicity and clarity is still there, then nuances and adaptation now have space.
It's important to understand the history and origin of flat design, not just for academics but also for designers, marketers, and entrepreneurs who need to update with upgrading digital landscapes. Knowing the origins and reasons for the development of flat design can help predict the future of UI design.
