Functionalism

Functionalism, as defined by George Marcus, denotes an honesty of object and material in a synthesis of standardized mechanized production and expressive structure. Each group of designers, from the time of William Morris, to the Arts and Craft Movement, and the Bauhaus applied the idea of functionalism to their work, however, the way in which it determined form, style, and production differs tremendously. The development of functionalism also often coincided with manufacturing developments, cultural style perceptions, and social means. In many ways, the development of functionalism can inform us about how truly considering these factors can create designs which transcend time periods and “fads”, but which in other ways can fail to address the emotional and environmental factors which design evokes and should harness.


William Morris began a movement to abandon the ornamenatation which was prevalent in 19th century furniture in favor of simple but refined forms which were more conducive to greater production

The Arts and Crafts Movement, inspired greatly by the writings of John Ruskin, romanticized the pride of the craftsman and the perfection of his handiwork. Charles Ashbee designs upheld this view of the relationship of creator to his work and the social co-operative structure that William Morris espoused

The German Werkbund, which had it’s roots in the Arts and Crafts Movement, and of which Peter Behrens was a member, focused on improving the overall style of German objects and products. They focused functionalism into considering production methods and the ideas of creating affordable, mass produced beautiful objects for the people.

Joseph Hoffmann was co-founderof the German Werkbund. The Sitzmaschine Chair utilized wood bending and laminating processes which were still being developed. These techniques helped to shape the aesthetic and function of the chair, allowing for the reclining system.This design also implores functionalism through inherently expressing the function in it’s form.

The Bauhaus built off of the principles of the Werkbund but focused more heavily on mass-production and material honesty. Mies Van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer both worked with bent steel tubing, a relatively new industrial process to create minimalist forms and underscored van der Rohe’s personal maxim“less is more”. This interpretation of functionalism is the one which seems to have carried into contemporary design consciousness the most, from a formal standpoint as well as a perspective on the role of design in society