Design

These Stunning Examples Show Why Architects Use the Color White So Often

By Matthew Reitman / November 9, 2016 5:00 am

Some of the world’s most iconic buildings are white and there’s a reason for that. Well, many reasons actually. It all depends on who you ask.

Most architects use white to reflect the purity of their design. With no colors to distract, lines and edges are that much more prominent. By Using white, their design can support itself. To a similar effect, it can accentuate a certain structure’s feature, like landscaping. Other architects use white liberally because it’s simple. Clean and sharp are two design tenets in Modernism, and there’s no better way to uphold them than by avoiding color. It can take any gargantuan structure and make it seem manageable, approachable.

White can evoke many different connotations. When used for interiors, it can give off a scientific or innovative vibe (a la the Apple Store). When used for exteriors, it has a municipal or pragmatic sentiment. RealClearLife has rounded up some examples of both below.