Most are familiar with this expression, but what about its origin? This required a bit of research–thank you, Wikipedia–which credits German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohewith with originally coining the phrase. Not surprisingly, his work and this idea fall into the category of minimalism, a trend also present in other fields like art and music. The concept has more personal and daily application, as well, such as when applying perfume or salting food.