Minimalism gone mad? Reinventing the playing card

Sometimes, less is more. That's the concept behind these beautiful playing cards by designer Joe Douchet. But just how minimal a design could he create while still maintaining a deck that could be played?

Using simple geometric shapes, Douchet left just enough visual information on each card for players to still be able to use them.Titled IOTA, the design uses circles, a diamond and triangles to represent both spades and hearts and a single diagonal line on the reverse of each card.

Doucet comments online: "Simple geometric symbols are reductive versions of hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades and while it's necessary to mark the back of regulation playing cards, we've done so with a minimal diagonal line instead of the overly ornamental versions used at your granny's bridge club."

Joe Doucet will be debuting IOTA during his Play exhibition at Wanted Design in New York, May 17-20, 2013.

Playing cards by Joe Douchet

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