This text comprises general information about Louis Henry Sullivan, his contributions to architecture and his general attitude about architecture with reference to his text ‘’The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered’’.

Above all, we need to answer the key question: Who is Louis Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924)? He is a well- known American architect who is also known as father of modernism and skyscrapers. He is one of the member of “the recognized trinity of American architecture’’ with Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-86) and Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)[1]. We can say Sullivan is the teacher of Wright because of this age and critic of Chicago School. Sullivan was born in Boston and get architecture education in Massachusetts Institute of Technology for one year. After that Sullivan started to work in a firm as a draftsman in Philadelphia and Chicago. In here he developed stencil technique applied on dry plaster. In this way, Dankmar Adler recognized and hired him as a second man. Although Sullivan was usually seen as a designer being backed by Adler’s engineering skills, Adler’s work showed an individual strength has often been ignored.[2] So that this storied move not only change Sullivan’s life but also Adler’s too. Hereupon they made a lot of building together such as Auditorium Building, Chicago (1887–89); the Guaranty Building, Buffalo, New York (1894–95; now Prudential Building); and the Wainwright Building, St. Louis, Missouri (1890–91)[3] and Sullivan’s productive years started.

After having that general knowledge about Louis Sullivan, there suddenly appear a most important thing about Sullivan; skyscrapers. In 19^th century, the supporters were stone and brick and the weight of a multistory building had to be supported by the strength of its walls which means in the past, the building should carry itself and it can be interpreted as if you want to have a taller building, you don’t have any chance to make it except making more strain walls. This placed on the building such load bearing walls, there were clear engineering limits even if there is no design limits. The strong walls also create massively thick walls on the ground level which means narrow spaces for free usage on the ground level. Although our main issue is Louis Henry Sullivan and his general concept of architecture and innovations on architecture, it would be more helpful to mention about previous trials to make skyscraper before Sullivan. There were two examples that we can name as trials of skyscraper. First one is Oriel Chambers in Liverpool raised by Peter Ellis in 1864.

In this building, as a first in the World, iron-framed and glass-curtain walled was used and it became a hope for multistory building and skyscraper dream. It has just five floors but we shouldn’t underestimate it and examine it under this times circumstances.[4]

Second one is Home Insurance Building in Chicago designed by William Le Baron Jenney (an engineer) in 1884. As a footnote, it can be added that Sullivan worked for Jenney for one year. This condition could also create some possibility to Sullivan’s success. This building’s precursor is being fully metal framed, load bearing structural frame.

Times requirements were also important for these two examples. Industrial revolution has also essential importance in that sense with getting the material industry wide. And also America has rapid social and economic growth and urbanization in society which means needs of large buildings and living spaces. This was the opportunity to try and find new thoughts. It can be followed easily that these opportunities and secondary elements were increased day by day and create proper environment for Wainwright Building and after this developments with these two buildings in 1890 Sullivan and Adler marked on new era and designed the Wainwright Building.

Wainwright Building is 10 story red brick terra cotta building, made by Louis Sullivan & Dankmar Adler in 1890-1891 and located in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States. The building is known as a prototype for skyscrapers because of innovation that contains. It is first steel (skeleton) framed building with soring vertical bands to emphasize the height of the building and because of the innovator character it is considered as first true skyscraper.[6] It became a sample for modern-day skyscrapers with its working system, verticality and idea behind the building. Steel frame supported the entire weight of the walls, instead of load- bearing walls and steel weight bearing not just allows taller and cylindrical building, but also permitted much larger windows and daylight so and walls, ceiling and any other secondary elements of the building were suspended from the skeleton. Another important thing is structure generally depends on vertical steel columns and horizontal I-beams which means the walls were not massively thick any longer and it creates wide spaces on the ground level. Louis Sullivan wrote that the skyscraper “must be tall, every inch of it tall. The force and power of altitude must be in it the glory and pride of exaltation must be in it. It must be every inch a proud and soaring thing, rising in sheer exultation that from bottom to top it is a unit

without a single dissenting line.”[7] And Frank Lloyd Wright, define the Wainwright Building “the very first human expression of a tall steel office-building as Architecture.”[8]

Wainwright Building has changed the accepted information from all around the World. Technical limits disappeared suddenly and historical precedents, references and helps were no exists anymore. We can call it freedom. Sullivan also understood it as freedom and used it for creating a grammar of form for the high-rise, simplifying the appearance of the building by breaking away from the historical styles, using his own intricate floral design, in vertical bands, emphasize he building vertical form and making the hard-edged shape with a specific purpose. This understanding created an era that ‘’Form Ever Follows Function’’ idea and terminology.

“Whether it be the sweeping eagle in his flight, or the open apple-blossom, the toiling work-horse, the blithe swan, the branching oak, the winding stream at its base, the drifting clouds, over all the coursing sun, form ever follows function, and this is the law. Where function does not change, form does not change. The granite rocks, the ever-brooding hills, remain for ages; the lightning lives, comes into shape, and dies, in a twinkling.
It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic, of all things physical and metaphysical, of all things human and all things superhuman, of all true manifestations of the head, of the heart, of the soul, that the life is recognizable in its expression, that form ever follows function. This is the law.”[9]

As you can see in here, American architect Louis Sullivan said in this 1896 article, “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered,” this is the law and the principle over 150 years and still has not lost relevance. However, this was not the first time talked about form and function together and like complementary elements. We have to also mention about Horatio Greenhough (September 6, 1805 – December 18, 1852). He is an American sculptor and writer on art.[10] Although this statement known as if it belong to ‘Louis Sullivan, Sullivan also was impressed from Horatio Greenough.[11]

Before analyzing ‘’Form Ever Follows Function’’ expression, function and form should be investigated. “Function” is derived from the Latin term “functio” and means “accomplishment” in its original sense. “Form” can be equated with the term aesthetics. Aesthetics is derived from the Greek word “aisthesis” which means “perception” and “sensation”[12]. Function is a purpose something can be used for Sullivan. However, he talked about function comprehensive meaning and give nature examples. That’s why we cannot get clear identification about Sullivan’s function definition. Form also refers to aesthetic and it is all about how we perceive and interpret the world with our five chordotonal organ. Aesthetically doesn’t mean that looking good or it is not even related with visual things.

While having researches about that statement, I realized that there is a problem about understanding of this statement. Almost every person know this sentences but indeed a few people could understand in a deep manner. If we handle this art-function couple which is actually hard line, we encounter three main problems about perceiving this statement.

Fist one is function is not more important than form. We can understand this like, form not just allowing on object to look good but also it should answer a few question like what is it? What you can do with it and what was it made for?  Form and function are not too separate from each other and they complete each other. [13]Furthermore, according to researches appearance for foreign person only basis of valuation and a definition for Halo effects explained us the more you attractive, the more you are estimated competent by stranger. It means, attractive buildings can be seen important by visitors of the building. And also visual thinks have their own emotion. If the day goes bad, we can say that it will be worse because it is all about how we perceive the day. Our emotional state can change the way we can interact with an interface which means more pleasant user and usability of interface surface positively. The another issue is the statement forbid visual elements which serve no function but we don’t have to buy something because of its inputs, we can buy it even if it just for to show our social status.

Secondly, there is no one function for one form. We can use same material to do for extremely different purposes.

Lastly, there is no one form for one function. The form variations depends on certain factors for example cultural factors but not only related with its function. We can use various form for one function.

REFERENCES

[1] Gorman, J. (1991). Three American architects: Richardson, Sullivan, and Wright, 1865-1915. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

[2] Louis H. Sullivan – Great Buildings Online. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Louis_H._Sullivan.html

[3] Louis Sullivan | biography – American architect. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/572949/Louis-Sullivan

[4] Façades Confidential. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://facadesconfidential.blogspot.com.tr/2013/06/is-first-first-curtain-wall-in-liverpool.html

[5] Home Insurance Building. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.history.com/topics/home-insurance-building

[6] AD Classics: Wainwright Building / Louis Sullivan. (2011, April 13). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.archdaily.com/127393/ad-classics-wainwright-building-louis-sullivan/

[7] Louis H. Sullivan, “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered.” (1896)

[8] Wright, F., & Levine, N. (2008). The Tyranny of the Skyscraper. In Modern architecture: Being the Kahn lectures for 1930. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.

[9] Louis H. Sullivan, “The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered.” Lippincott’s Magazine 57 (March 1896) pp 403-09

[10] Horatio Greenough | biography – American sculptor and writer. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/245338/Horatio-Greenough

[11] Greenough, H., & Small, H. (1947). Form and function; remarks on art. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press.

[12] Centigrade GmbH · Blog · “Form Follows Function” – An unclear design principle. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.centigrade.de/blog/en/article/form-follows-function-an-unclear-design-principle/

[13] The Function Utopia – Why ‘form follows function’ is misleading. (2014, March 31). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.oysteinhusby.com/function-utopia-form-follows-function/

[14] Centigrade GmbH · Blog · “Form Follows Function” – An unclear design principle. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from http://www.centigrade.de/blog/en/article/form-follows-function-an-unclear-design-principle/