Form Follow Function or Function Follow Form

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.

In the context of design professions form follows function intuitively seems like good sense, but on closer examination it becomes problematic and open to interpretation. Linking the relationship between the form of an object and its intended purpose is not always by itself a complete design solution.

form follow functions.

Mies van der Rohe says that he did not stand against the form, but he think that form is a goal of the designing process. Rohe thinks that function follows form always end up with formalism, satisfied the building’s appearance from outside view, but we don’t know what will be happen inside.

functions follow forms

But, many architects also do their design by not doing the same step, they design the form of the building first, and later design the lay-out next to be mixed up with that. Yes the building became magnificent, superb, and iconic, its appearance will looks like a sculpture.