The
word form comes from the Old French word forme,
meaning physical form, appearance, pleasing look, image, which originated from
Latin forma, meaning contour, figure,
shapes, appearance, design’s sort, kind of condition. There are only theories of the origins of
the Latin root forma for they are unknown. One theory
holds that it is from Greek morphe, meaning form, beauty,
outward appearance. Morphe also evolved into Morpheus, the Greek
god of dreams and maker of shapes that can appear in any form in dreams[1]. Other
theories include origins from the Sanskrit word dharman, meaning holding position,
order; or root of ferīre, to strike[2].
The
origins of the word can also be traced through philosophy. The word form first appeared in the Theory of
Forms, which Plato associate with the word eido[3],
meaning idea. Tracing eido to its
Indo-European roots is weid, meaning
to know and see[4].
There
are many definitions of form, but the most common is the visible aspect of a
thing; usually in a narrow sense of shape and configuration rather than colour[5].
Form is often used to describe the body and its outward appearance.
Similarly,
form is used to describe the shape of a structure in architecture. The form of architecture often reflects the society’s culture, environment, and technology.
In Modern Architecture, form reflects the function of the building, that is,
function should proceed form.
In 1896, architect Louis Sullivan established
the principle “form follows function” which marked the beginning of Modern
Architecture. In 1908, Adolf Loos established a second principle in Modern
Architecture: “ornament is a crime”[6]. During the Modernist movement, buildings
were reduced to its purest forms, stripped of historical references and
ornament. This was most evident in the work of Mies van der Rohe who designed
using only simple rectilinear and planar forms and eliminating all
non-essential forms and ornamentation. Throughout the 20th century,
“form follows function” took on variations, but remained a prominent principle
in architecture.
In
1954, Frank Lloyd Wright introduced Organic Architecture. He argued that form
should be determined by the “nature of materials”[7]
and the environment. This is reflected in his most well-known work, Fallingwater;
the house, built out of the stones found on the site, cantilevers over a
waterfall much like the rocks in its surroundings, creating a sense of harmony
between the house and its environment.
[1] Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology, “form”, accessed
November 17,
[2] "form,
n.". OED Online. September 2012. Oxford University Press.
http://oed.com/view/Entry/73421?rskey=Ytuejz&result=1&isAdvanced=false
(accessed November 21, 2012).
[3] Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v.
"form", accessed November 21, 2012,http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/213675/form.
[4] “weid-“. American Heritage Dictionary: Fourth Edition:
Appendix I. (2000).
[5] "form,
n.". OED Online
[6] Loos, Adolf. Ornament and Crime: Selected Essays (Ariadne
Press, 1998)
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