In class, we were given a Think, Pair and Share exercise where we were to discuss whether we believed if Form Follows Function or not. This topic was new to me as I’ve never really thought about it and honestly before this class I never really cared to. After discussing it with my fellow classmates, I realized that a lot of people agree that form does not follow function and once I gained more knowledge on the subject, I have decided that I agree with those classmates.
According to The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the idea that form follows function was first coined by Louis Sullivan who was a famous American architect. Sullivan believed that the design of a building and/or object should reflect on its function or intended purpose (2018). This idea may have made sense to the architect back then, but with advancements in technology, the term Form Follows Function may not apply anymore.
Take your cellphone for example; when first created, the cellphone was a large box that had a long wire sticking out of the top. It was made for its function and the form didn’t necessarily matter because people wanted it for its intended purpose, to make phone calls. With these technology advancements, cellphones quickly became more about the form rather than the functionality of the product. This is because people want the latest, greatest and sleekest form of technology. Now a cellphone can perform more tasks and its appearance shows no relation to what the object can actually do (Ewens, 2018).
Although I am a newcomer on this particular subject, I strongly believe that Form does not have to follow its function in this day in age. An article that backs up my statement from The New York Times explains this in further detail and I highly recommend reading it for more insight on the topic. Let me know your thoughts by contacting me on the contact page! I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether Form Follows Function or not.
The Road to a Happy Heart 