Professional Documents
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PRODUCT: FURNITURE
DICTUM: FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
“Whether it be the sweeping eagle in his flight, or the open apple-blossom, the
toiling work-horse, the blithe swan, the branching oak, the winding stream at
its base, the drifting clouds, over all the coursing sun, form ever
follows function.”
“It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic, of all things
physical and metaphysical, of all things human and things superhuman… that
form ever follows function.’’
The ever so famous quote used by all modernist architects “form
follows function” actually comes from Sullivan’s original quote “form ever follows
function”.
Louis Henry Sullivan was an American architect (1870-1920′s) who has
been called the father of modernism and the father of skyscrapers.
What is function?
Let’s look at chairs. What is the function of a chair? To have
people sit on it. If form always follows function, or entirely
determined by function, all the chairs should look the same. So
why chairs differ in material, structure, shape, size, colour, etc.?
Because function can be complex. A chair in public park may be
built in stone or metal so that it won’t be worn out easily. An
office chair may be height adjustable because of ergonomics
considerations. A chair at home or hotel may be cosy and stylish
to fit in the interior design of the space. Ornamentation is
allowed as long as it serves a function which could be to support
people’s emotional needs. A chair may vary only in colour for
people to choose the colour they like.
Function is a reflection of requirement or purpose of the design
which comes from human needs and wants.