Form Beyond Function - Breaking the Generic and Uncovering Balance
Form Beyond Function - Breaking the Generic and Uncovering Balance
"Form follows Function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, formed as a spiritual union" - Frank Lloyd Wright
One concept that design students are almost guaranteed to encounter throughout their time in school in the United States is the idea of both form and function, and which should proceed the other. The overall consensus tends to be that form function should always proceed form, and that program should serve as one of the main drivers in the development of an architectural design.
But what happens when this pattern is broken?
Some of the most intriguing designs we see in architecture today focus on producing unique experiences through compelling forms. Often times these particular forms are not necessarily the most efficient spatially or cost effective, but those concepts are not the focus of the designer. When wanting to create a space that make people think or provides a significant impact visually to the surrounding area, intricate and intriguing form often becomes the answer...
... and finding the balance between Function and Form is often where strong designs lie.
I agree that the strongest designs lie between the concepts of form and function. One without the other usually creates architecture that feels incomplete. I wish that designers didn’t feel that it had to be one way or the other in order to create a statement. Maybe the new generation of architects can normalize architecture that is both efficient in its use and thought-provoking with its design.
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