Student Question
What does Henry Cameron's ideology "form of the building must follow its function" mean in "The Fountainhead"?
Quick answer:
Henry Cameron's ideology "form of the building must follow its function" in The Fountainhead emphasizes that a building's design should be dictated by its intended use rather than aesthetics, cost, or architectural trends. He criticizes unnecessary decorative elements, such as scrollwork and statues, arguing that modern materials like glass and steel eliminate the need for such embellishments. This philosophy promotes designing buildings to suit their purpose and location, rather than for superficial appeal.
"The form of a building must follow its function" means that the beauty of the building, the cost of the building, the local trends in architecture should not matter when building. The architect and the client should decide what the building is going to be used for and where the building will be located. The building should then be designed for the use of the building. An example of this concept is when the Greeks used scroll work and carvings to hide the rough joints in the wood and stone, when the building went up. With the inventions of today's building materials we no longer need to hide raw joints. We can bend glass and steel. Why do we still put fancy scroll work, and fancy statues on buildings? They have nothing to do with the function of the building so they are unnecessary. Too many people build their homes to impress others rather than to suite their lifestyles. Why do we need fancy Victorian architecture in a society that builds with brick, steel, and glass?
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.