Form follows ......... emotion

Form follows ......... function is a principle associated with modern architecture and industrial design in the 20^th century. It was the late 19^th century architect Louis H. Sullivan who coined this phrase “form (ever) follows function” in 1896 in his article “The tall office building artistically considered”. Sullivan developed the tall steel skyscraper in Chicago during this very time. His assistant Frank Lloyd Wright later adopted the same principle in a slightly different form.

Guggenheim Museum NY by Frank Lloyd Wright

This phrase became a battle-cry of Modernist Architects after 1930s which implied that all decorative elements (ornamental) were superfluous and the building design should be a direct reflection for the function it has been designed, making it simplistic and contemporary to look at. It is a belief very close to “Less is more” and which sheds all elements used for ornamentation of elements.

Nearly a century later Hartmut Esslinger (a German-American industrial designer) on the lines of this famous maxim re-coined it into his design principle “form follows emotion”. Esslinger is known for his ground-breaking designs from Apple, Lufthansa Airlines, Siemens, Motorola and many more. Speaking from a context of product design he says, “brand position is what counts, and brand goes back to the emotional content of products”. The future is in personalization and we as designers get hints on this every day.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao by Frank Gehry

Frank Gehry’s design for Guggenheim museum in Bilbao is a perfect example of form following an individual’s emotion. Every owner or an architect has an emotional connect with its building, so it is natural for a building to be a confluence of the emotions of the architect and owners.

Ultimately a building does reflect the personal taste of the owner and the designer.

Image Source: http://www.e-architect.co.uk/bilbao/guggenheim_museum_bilbao.htm

http://www.nypi.net/new-york-solomon-r-guggenheim-museum/

Simplicity ... design

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” - Leonardo Da Vinci

This well known maxim has been the basis of design principles for many successful industrial designers and architects. Simplicity often denotes beauty, purity and clarity (of thought in the design context). Simple buildings are neat and functional, using minimalistic elements which are showcased in their honest form.

Another popular maxim “Less is more” has been the design philosophy of famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. By emphasizing open space and revealing the industrial materials used in construction, he helped define modern architecture. His mature buildings made use of modern materials such as industrial steel and plate glass to define interior spaces. He strived towards an architecture with a minimal framework of structural order balanced against the implied freedom of free-flowing open space. He called his buildings "skin and bones" architecture. He sought a rational approach that would guide the creative process of architectural design.

Source: http://www.wright-house.com/

Another great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture. This philosophy was best exemplified by his design for Fallingwater (1935), which has been called "the best all-time work of American architecture". His simplistic approach can be summarized in a quote by him, “Simplicity and repose are the qualities that measure the true value of any work of art.”

From AIA.org - Falling Water - The story of a country house

This is a six part series featured on the AIA website on the Falling Water. An interesting read and facts about the Falling Water designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Fallingwater
The Story of a Country House

by Jim Atkins, FAIA

. . . all the elements of structure are combined so quietly that really you listen not to any noise whatsoever although the music of the stream is there. But you listen to Fallingwater the way you listen to the quiet of the country.
—Frank Lloyd Wright, 1955