Form Follows Function or Function Follows Form??
Form Follows Function is a principle associated with modern architecture and industrial in the 20th century. The principle is that the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose. [
wikipedia] What about Function Follows Form?? It can be said as a reverse design for architecture. Applying the principle of Function Follows Form, it's like playing a game, whether you will manage to apply it well or not. A building which come with a good form will tend to attract people's attention. What if the design inside it was terrible or not planning well, it will be a disaster. It's really depends on the designer himself, he have to find out the balance between form and function. I'm going to show an example that i read from a {
blogger} which i agree with his point of view, here you go. A building that tend to applying the principle of function follows form and manage to apply it well, BURJ AL ARAB.In terms of form, it manage to grab people's attention and with it's unique design, it might become a significant sculpture for DUBAI.
Let's go for another building that tend to apply the principle of function follows form, which made a bad example for this principle, MIT Stata Center. In terms of form, it manage to grab people's attention, but in terms of function it fail to design it well. There's a lot of voices from the people saying that the accumulations of snow and ice, fallen dangerously from window boxes and other areas of its roofs, blocking emergency exits and causing damage.
Do think wisely when u designing your building. =)
Instead of applying it at building or sculpture, we can link it to our daily product. Nowadays, people desire level grow even higher than we can think. They want somethings that come with a good form and function too, so that is reasonable for them to purchase it well. If you tend to want me to agree with form follows function, i might get some design that stick with the function without having much design on it, cause every part of the process of designing the product, i will tend to put more effort on the part of function, even when i design the form or it i will think of whether it will affect or suit with the function of it or not.
Look at this cute groovy teapot. It's look like a sculpture when it is not filling with tea, isn't it a good design. In terms of form and function, it manage to grab people's attention and come with a usable function too. This is a product what people always looking for, not just good at looking, they still can use it well too.
Spot this cute TOOTHPIKS. Isn't it another good example of having a good form and function too. Is hard for us to think of whether it is applying the principle of form follows function or function follows form.
Hence, i would think that to have a great design between the principle of applying form and function, we will have to find out the balance between them. I always believe that a good design doesn't always stick with some straight rules. It's depends on the designer himself, how they play with the design and how they understand the rules well. Form and function can be apply at anywhere instead of building or sculpture design. Although i didn't stand on any side to agree with whether form follows function or function follows form, but I do agree with {
Mies van der Rohe}, who think that function follows form always end up with formalism, satisfied the building's appearance form outside view, but we don't know what will be happen inside. That's why we have to be careful when we applying function follows form. With a good outside view, but inside is terrible function, who will want to give you good comment on such disaster design.
