FORM AND FUNCTION IN ARCHITECTURE
For Louis Sullivan, he believe all things in nature have a shape, that is to say, a form, an outward semblance, that tell us what they are, that distinguishes them from ourselves and from each other.
The discussion of form and function in modern times has its origins in the nascent industrial education system forming in Europe in the late 19th century. Frank Lloyd Wright also said that the "form and function are one". What is the relationship between function and form in architecture today?
The architecture today is more to the form follow function. ‘Form follows function’ is perhaps one of the world famous dictum in architecture that many would agree on its feasibility in the theory of basic building designs. However, the emergence of the new ‘Information Age’ had suggested otherwise. Spaces had become more intelligent and interactive while circulation is becoming more fluid and flexible.
There is a building design that using the form follow function which I found. Framing House that located at Shiga Prefecture, Japan designed by FORM | Kouichi Kimura Architects, finished in 2015. The architecture is pared down to the essentials, with very little ornamentation. The result is very clean, without unnecessary distractions
From the architect. The client requested to have a space that can be used as a gallery in the house in addition to
the habitable space. The request triggered creation of characteristic spaces within the building.
The characteristic passage laid out from the street through the back of the building functions as the line of flow to the habitable space and the gallery. Consisting of the semi-outdoor passage space, gallery, and habitable space, all of which are framed and depict themselves, the house creates affluent linkage within the living spaces.
The passage space frames the courtyard connected to the back, giving perspective to the external appearance.Moreover, as a semi-open-air space, it allows multi-purpose use while playing a role of linking the habitable space and the gallery, which makes the living spaces richer.
Building forms tend to be more invisible as users turn to the World Wide Web for routine activities that was once achievable only through physical interaction. Nowadays as computers and human are adapting more towards each other, buildings are just becoming a matter of platform to store the software and hardware.
The changes of relationship between form and function
The new uses, materials and technology surely can change the relationship between them. In this age of information, we have discover a lot of new materials and technologies.
assuming that form is the outer expression of building's aesthetics and form, in turn, is represented by the building kin , or envelope, we can argue that such "envelope" does not only have to define the appearance of the building we perceive, it can, in the way it is designed, shaped and related to many function a building has, also have the potential to solve its future technical needs.
Many architecture theoreticians argue, that it is form of a building what defines its aesthetic quality. It is the outer skin of a building what usually defines its form. Such a skin has always had many functions. Today thanks to new material and technologies possibilities, these functions of the skin are ever expanding and we may even reach the point when the inside of the building can concentrate solely on its primary function without having to take into account any needs.
Form and functions are integrated in the context of the information age and society where functions and the events of technology would determine the built form of a building. It is this event of technology that separates us from our forefathers of the ‘form follows function’dogma. Building forms should try to reflect the identity of a place regardless of function or even technology for that matter.
Virtual forms of houses and buildings could bea reality in the distant future but the experience of physical and real life is still immeasurable. Technologies would persist on expanding the functions and events of our buildings.
