Functionalism (architecture)

In architecture, functionalism is the principle that buildings should be designed based solely on the purpose and function of the building. Villa Tugendhat (Brno), 1928 by Ludwig Mies van der RoheVilla Muller (Prague), 1930, by Adolf LoosBrno Crematorium (Brno), 1930, Ernst WiesnerHotel Avion (Brno), 1928, Bohuslav Fuchs Zlin, Czech Republic, factory town built by the Bata (shoe company)Bellavista (1934), KlampenborgBakkegården (1935–38), AarhusChampagnehuset (1936), CopenhagenFrederiksgade no. 1 (1939), AarhusThe Standard (1937), CopenhagenKnippelsbro bridge (1935), CopenhagenMarble facade. Aarhus City Hall (1941), AarhusAarhus City Hall, interior detailAarhus University (1933 onwards). This building is from 1974.Tilkka Hospital (1936) in HelsinkiTennispalatsi (1937) in HelsinkiHelsinki-Malmi Airport Terminal (1938)Valkea Linna (White Castle) in OuluKåren, Åbo Akademi UniversityMartin's Church (1933) in TurkuNakkila Church (1937) in NakkilaSuolahti Church (1940) in Äänekoski.Typical glazing and railing detail in Nordic funkis (Nakkila Church)Bohdan Lachert villa with roof garden (1929) in WarsawStanisław Brukalski villa (1929) in WarsawRudolf Świerczyński ministry of transport (1931) in Warsaw. Detail of entrance, basalt relief with coat of arms of Poland.Roman Piotrowski insurance building (1936) in seaport GdyniaBohdan Damięcki Maritime University (1937) in seaport GdyniaNarcyz Obrycki villa (1937) in seaport Gdynia.Tadeusz Kossak villa (1938) in seaport Gdynia. Three large portholes windows in the back.Juliusz Żórawski Housing Unit 'Glass House' (1938-1941) in Warsaw with luxury apartments 177m2 each and large roof terrace. In architecture, functionalism is the principle that buildings should be designed based solely on the purpose and function of the building. This principle is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern architecture, as it is less self-evident than it first appears. The theoretical articulation of functionalism in buildings can be traced back to the Vitruvian triad, where 'utilitas' (variously translated as 'commodity', 'convenience', or 'utility') stands alongside 'venustas' (beauty) and 'firmitas' (firmness) as one of three classic goals of architecture. Functionalist views were typical of some gothic revival architects. In particular, Augustus Welby Pugin wrote that 'there should be no features about a building which are not necessary for convenience, construction, or propriety' and 'all ornament should consist of enrichment of the essential construction of the building'. The debate about functionalism and aesthetics is often framed as a mutually exclusive choice, when in fact there are architects, like Will Bruder, James Polshek and Ken Yeang, who attempt to satisfy all three Vitruvian goals. In the wake of World War I, an international functionalist architecture movement emerged as part of the wave of Modernism. The ideas were largely inspired by the need to build a new and better world for the people, as broadly and strongly expressed by the social and political movements of Europe after the extremely devastating world war. In this respect, functionalist architecture is often linked with the ideas of socialism and modern humanism. A new slight addition to this new wave of functionalism was that not only should buildings and houses be designed around the purpose of functionality, architecture should also be used as a means to physically create a better world and a better life for people in the broadest sense. This new functionalist architecture had the strongest impact in Czechoslovakia, Germany, Poland, the USSR and the Netherlands, and from the 1930s also in Scandinavia and Finland. In 1896, Chicago architect Louis Sullivan coined the phrase 'form ever follows function', however this aphorism does not relate to a contemporary understanding of the term ‘function’ as utility or the satisfaction of user needs; it was instead based in metaphysics, as the expression of organic essence and could be paraphrased as meaning 'destiny'.