When designing a building, the most
important factor is the intended use of the building rather than its outward
appearance. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
When
it comes to building design, architects often have to make compromises between
form and function. Many feel that the purpose of the building should dictate
these decisions. I agree that how the building will be used is a key factor,
but I think that how it looks is just as important.
Those
who argue that a building should be constructed according to its function are
mainly thinking about the people who will later use the building. If a building
is unable to perform its most basic functions, then it is undoubtedly a failed
project. For example, if an architect is building a primary school then they
must consider parking areas, how cars will pick up and drop off children, where
to put the playground, access for people with disabilities, and that is just
the area around the school. A beautiful parking lot that only has room for a
handful of cars is useless. Inside the school, they also need classrooms that
are large enough, hallways that do not get easily too crowded, a good number
and location of restrooms and many other pragmatic concerns. If the architect
is overly focused on how the school looks, then they may sacrifice ease of use
and practicality.
However,
the look of the building is also important because of the role of art in
everyday life. Architecture is often considered one of the original and purest
forms of artistic expression. I am reminded of a quote from Pablo Picasso who
said ‘Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.’ Imagine a city
filled with ugly, utilitarian structures like many Soviet-era buildings. These
buildings will not lift people’s spirits or encourage them to contemplate the
intended message. Contrast this with a city where architects have been given free
rein to be artists. As long as the buildings are also functional, you will find
a city filled with beauty and provocation that enhances life for its
inhabitants. The outward appearance does not have to be beautiful, but it has a
responsibility to contribute something to enrich the lives of everyday people.
In
conclusion, how a building works is equally as important as how that same
building looks. Form should not follow function but be fused together in order
to add to the aesthetic dimension of a city. It is undoubtedly more
challenging, expensive and time- consuming to achieve this kind of balance, but
it is also worth the effort.
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