Function, Structure

and Form

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN THEORY - II

Lecture 4
FUNCTION STRUCTURE AND FORM

 The basic ingredients to be analyzed for any

architectural design are:

Beauty, Strength and Utility.

 Beauty: The visual outcome.

 Strength: The physicality of the built space and its
expression.
 Utility: The reason for making the building or
organizing the space.
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 Beauty is manifest in the Form of the built space or

organization.

 Strength is manifest in the Structure of the building.

 Utility of a spatial organization can be seen as its

Function.
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 Different kinds of FUNCTIONAL requirements to be

resolved through Architectural design:

Corbusier has identified these in four broad

categories:
 Living
 Working
 Care of Body and Spirit
 Circulation
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 LIVING:
The built space typologies under this category
could be: Houses

Glass House by Philip Johnson

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Farnswarth House by Mies van der Rohe

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Villa Savoy by Le Corbusier

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House by Peter Eisenman

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 LIVING:
The built space typologies under this category could
be: Housing
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 LIVING:
The built space typologies under this category could
be: Hostels
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 LIVING:
The built space
typologies under this
category
could be: Hotels (These
could also fall under care of
body and spirit as recreational
areas)
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 WORKING: The built
space typologies under
this category could be:
Offices
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WORKING:
The built space
typologies under this
category could be:
Factories
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WORKING:
The built space typologies under this category
could be: Shops (Multi category)
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CARE OF BODY AND SPIRIT:

The built space typologies under this category could
be: Malls
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CARE OF BODY AND SPIRIT:

The built space typologies under this category could
be: Restaurants
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CARE OF BODY AND SPIRIT:

The built space typologies under this category could
be: Spa
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CARE OF BODY AND SPIRIT:
The built space typologies under this category could
be: Clubs and Community spaces
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CARE OF BODY AND SPIRIT:
The built space typologies under this category could
be: Cinemas and theaters
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CARE OF BODY AND SPIRIT:
The built space typologies under this category could
be: Art Galleries and Museums
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CARE OF BODY AND SPIRIT:
The built space typologies
under this category could
be: Religious spaces
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CIRCULATION:
The built space typologies
under this category could
be:
Roads(Interior circulation within
buildings needs to be seen as
part of that activity space)
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CIRCULATION:
The built space typologies
under this category could
be:
Pathways (open and
covered)
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CIRCULATION:
The built space
typologies under this
category could be:
Piazzas
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CIRCULATION:
The built space typologies under this category could
be: Railway and allied spaces(Interior circulation within
buildings needs to be seen as part of that activity space)
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CIRCULATION: The built space typologies under this

category could be: Airways and allied spaces (Interior
circulation within buildings needs to be seen as part of that activity
space)
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The different kinds of spatial orders listed on the

previous slides are an outcome of the different
activities that need to be performed by different
people for their normal day to day living.

Each space has to be designed according to the

envisaged function in that space or in other words no
space can be organized without a function.
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 STRUCTURE: Like the human

skeleton that supports the human
body, the structure supports the
building.
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 Structure thus forms the back bone of a building

and represents the element of strength in
architecture.
 It should also be appreciated that the element of
strength besides representing structure also denotes
the strength of ‘expression’ or the capacity to ‘say’
something to the viewer.
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 STRUCTURE:
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 Structure also forms the key to the ‘enclosure’ i.e. it

provides the elements that actually, physically
enclose space.
 Structure, hence, forms the basis for the ultimate
form though the ‘skin’ and cosmetics also finally
effect the visuals.
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Structure in buildings can be of numerous kinds. The

more common types are:
Masonry: Brick or stone walls and roofing
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Trabeated: Columns and beams
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Architectural Structures:
Domes and Shells
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Architectural structures:
Vaults
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Architectural structures:
Cable stayed
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Form of a built organization is the visual outcome or

the look of the building that is finally seen by the
viewers.

Form has no limitation except its relationship with

function and structure and is dependent on the
creative and aesthetic sensibilities of the designer.
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AND FORM
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Architectural forms are of many kinds depending

on the time, function and the creativity of the
designer
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 Structure is also dependent on the technology

available at a given time. This is the only limitation in
the creation of new architectural forms.
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Relationship of Form and Function

The element of ‘Function’ dictates the quantity and
placement of spaces in a spatial organization. To
enclose these spaces ‘Structure’ is deployed. The
outcome is ‘Form’. The three are hence intrinsically
related.
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 There has been a debate as to ‘Form follows

Function’ or ‘Function follows Form’.
 As these are both inherent to an architectural
design both need to be resolved preferably
simultaneously.
 However, in buildings like monuments, Form
becomes more important and in normal utility
buildings, Function needs to be resolved more
efficiently.
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 In can be concluded that Form, Function and

Structure are interrelated and are inherent in a
design. All the three have to be present in a design.
Priority can be given to any one depending on the
context and situation.
Monuments may be form emphatic, large span
buildings like airports and factories may be structure
emphatic and routine buildings are function
emphatic, but all the three have to be resolved in
an architectural design exercise.