Rectangularista

Rectangularista is a design philosophy and architectural approach that foregrounds rectilinear geometry, grid-based composition, and modular systems across visual arts, architecture, and product design. Its proponents seek order, clarity, and reproducibility through standardized proportions and disciplined orthogonality.

Origins trace to late 20th-century European design circles, where practitioners reacted to irregular forms with a revival of right angles and measurable structure. The term arose in journals and collaborative studios that codified grid rules, right-angle typologies, and modular blocks as a common language for form and function.

Core principles include strict use of rectangular forms and perpendicular axes, alignment to a dominant grid, modular decomposition into repeatable units, and minimal ornamental detail. Color, texture, and material choices are typically restrained to support legibility and consistency. The approach often employs digital tools such as CAD and parametric modeling to test grids and proportions before fabrication. Adherents emphasize rational planning, scalability, and the potential for rapid production across multiple media.

Applications span graphic design, architecture, urban planning, and consumer products, with works characterized by crisp lines, ordered spacing, and legible typographic systems. Critics argue that Rectangularista can appear cold or inflexible, while supporters view it as efficient, adaptable, and communicative. The movement has influenced modular furniture design, signage systems, and grid-based typographic practices, and it remains a topic of analysis in discussions of modernist and postmodern design trajectories.