on of the building, but were purely decorative, such as the gargoyles on medieval cathedrals or the upturned gables (roof edges) of Oriental temples. In contemporary times, however, many architects have subscribed to the dictum, "Form follows function," some to the extent of eliminating virtually anything which is purely decorative from the design or "form."Connected with functionability is the building's relationship with the surrounding environment. Evaluating spatial relationships touches on the matter of site to some extent in that you must consider the setting for the building. This aspect is more extensive than that of site, however, in that it takes into account how well this particular structure fits into the context of other structures in the area. If you observe that a building conflicts in style, or size, or function with the others, or that the building wastes the space that has been "given" to it, then you may conclude that it does not fulfill this requirement very well.3) Aesthetic Qualities: Is it pleasing to look at?This approach examines the attractiveness of a building. To the contemporary functionalist, beauty in a building is a direct expression of function, much like the aerodynamic design of an automobile may be sleek and appealing to the eye. Often, however, an architect feels compelled to go beyond functional considerations to make the design aesthetically pleasing. Consider the opposite of the functionalist: the designer who considers the space to be filled as primarily an opportunity to decorate and who goes about it elaborately, extravagantly, wishing to bring awe to all who enter!Whether a building must be beautiful to be an architectural success is debatable. What is not debatable, however, is that a building is a record which reveals the nature of the people who designed, built, and used it. A building inevitably captures something about the culture and times--the zeitgeist--of the people. The peopl...
