English architect Augustus Welby Pugin wrote, “There should be no features about a building which are not necessary for convenience, construction, or propriety.” Functionalism is a segment of architecture that promotes elements that are useful in contrast to the ornate, embellished design of earlier centuries.
The early 1900’s gave birth to functionalism. Skyscrapers were popping up in cities throughout the Unites States and populations were growing steadily and significantly. The expensive, exquisite buildings that adorned gold hardware, sprawling hallways and decorated doorways became inadequate, dysfunctional and expensive to maintain.
Chicago was the birthplace of this style of architecture specifically due to the architect, Louis Sullivan. Soon functionalism was being used throughout the US and spreading from country to country. Europe, Czechoslovakia and even Iceland started to incorporate a more utilitarian design into their building constructions.
From doorways to floor plans all the way to the design of windows, functionalism has remained mainstream for years. More and more clients are looking for ways to incorporate functionality into their building designs, the perfect place for functionalism.
December 5, 2014
