Form follows function. Function follows form.

Form follows function

Form follows function is a principle associated with modern architecture and industrial design 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.  It is motivated by the modern principles of architecture guide by economy, unity and beauty, which is the resolution of the design, is a product of the function which stems directly from the requirements of the occupants within the physical environment. 

Architecture is an art of creating beautiful spaces, of designing structures where form follows function. It is an art based on the principles of Utility and Beauty.

Architecture is not merely slavery to the past art, not is it blind originality. It has to be a perfect blend usability, beauty and economy. Architecture has always been the result of the delicate balance between art and science, but it has been more of an Art than science. An Architect is an artist who sets out to remodel the world to make is more perfect for human habitation.

The personality of an architect is reflected through his creations. We can gauge his temperament by looking at the way the structure is designed, both internally as well as externally. An architect takes care of human need, interests, sentiments & values of his clients while designing the structures.

Functionality should always be giver higher priority than form. But this does not always happen. An Architect might be tempted to create snazzy designs which might be prohibitively expensive or unusable. However, it is the duty of an Architect to design a structure in a way that it is functional, durable and trendy. Compromises have to be made. But an Architect should never indulge himself in creating extravagant forms which might be aesthetically beautiful but which do not serve their functional purpose.

Function follows form

It is a reverse process design.

On a social level, buildings have the purpose of constraining behavior. In a very physical way, they direct our movement into certain trajectories or prevent us from going to certain places. They keep certain spaces dry and warm, while leaving others cold and wet. They keep certain people out, or other people in. further, buildings also have the potential to induce behavior and influence our attitude. In a church, people start to whisper, but in a bar they’ll need to shout to be heard. Taken to an extreme, bentham's Panopticon enforced the discipline of its inmates by means of the centrally located but invisible wardens. This control is accomplished by means of an architectural rhetoric with social implications. For example, the acoustics in a cathedral cause noises to echo, disturbing everyone else in the church and inviting disapproval from other patrons. As a result, visitors quickly learn that appropriate behavior in that space is to whisper.

It could be examples of appropriation, ala Gibson's "The Street Finds Its Own Uses for Things". Maybe adapt to make the forms exist, like Venice using canals instead of roads. It could be accidental discoveries like Silly Putty or Post-it Notes, or exploiting new materials, like the use of steel as a building material instead of wood, or plastic instead of glass. I'm even looking for ideas that stretch the notion of what a form is, like laws or religion or social norms, as long as they inspire new functions.


My thought~
Now I know what is form follows function and function follows form. However, there is still a little bit confuse between them. Anyway, I knew I will get the meaning clearly one day with the guide of my friends, lecturers and so from the environment.