The design principle “form follows function” was coined at the beginning of the 20th century by the American architect Louis Henry Sullivan (1856–1924) and later became the maxim of many generations of designers. What is understood by this is that in the design of products, the functional and best possible form inevitably results from their function. The obvious conclusion is that under this principle very reduced products to purpose are created – just purely functional. Sullivan himself, however, was of the opinion that additional elements, such as ornaments on a building, could also fulfil a function, for example by making it particularly representative.
