COLOPHON
Modernism and Functionality explores functionality in design and the relationship between functionality and modernism, with supporting texts covering a period from the early 20th century to the early 21st century. When selecting the two additional texts, I chose texts written far apart in time to see if I could uncover any changes in perception towards modernism and functionality. The first text, 'Ornament and Crime' by Adolf Loos, actively discusses how there is no need for ornament, as it does not lend itself to a designed object, ornament limits functionality. Moving forward forty years, in 'Function in Modern Design', Gygory Kepes feels the obsessive need for functionality and criticizes the overemphasis people have on it. Lastly, Richard Hollis' essay 'The Modernist Grid' does not present any definitive opinions on whether he favors functionalism in design, but merely presents his written piece as a brief history of the functional grid in modernist design.
I had previously read 'Ornament and Crime' in my undergraduate degree and remembered Adolf Loos having particularly strong feelings around functionalism and design. After re-reading the essay for this project, I was reminded that it was very much true. Overall, I found Loos' writing to be quite long-winded and I felt it took him some time to reach his arguments, which was interesting given how much he goes on about functionality, yet I did not find his writing to be that functional. I appreciate Loos' opinions on functionalism and design and agree to a certain extent that one should focus on functionalism, however, I don't think we need to go as far as to remove all ornamentation from design, I believe it could remove some personality from the world. For example, when he goes as far as to reference him choosing a plain gingerbread biscuit, over a decorated one, it seems quite obsessive to me.
'Function in Modern Design' by Gygory Kepes acts as an antidote to Loos. While Loos is pro-functionality, Kepes argues a more anti-approach to functionality in design. Kepes worked at the Chicago Bauhaus, under Lazlo Maholoy Nagy, with the Bauhaus being notably pro-functionality, however, Kepes believes that it is overdone. I believe that the designer needs to strike a balance between design aesthetics for functionality and those for decoration. Without some level of decoration, the consumer can become bored if they see the same designs over and over again. This does not mean that a designer should prioritize decoration over functionalism, I still think functionalism is the main priority, but the designer should remember to include decoration for visual appeal.
As mentioned previously, in 'The Modernist Grid', Richard Hollis simply offers more of an analytical history of functionality in modernist design by exploring the mediums of architecture, typesetting and graphic design. The grid is probably one of the most functional tools when it comes to design, allowing the designer to focus on the hierarchy and functionalism of a design. While grids are not as prominent in digital design as they are in print, they are important tools to consider using. In his essay, he states that the essential elements of the grid are rectangularity, standardization and modules, and repetition and separation. However, he does not consider proportion to be a functional element, but an aesthetic one. This is the only part of the text that I disagree with as in my opinion proportion can be used to help develop systems, for example in typography.
Overall, I think that these three texts effectively work together in exploring functionality and modernist design, with 'Ornament and Crime' and 'Function in Modern Design' arguing two different sides for functionality's place in design, and 'The Modernist Grid' provides the reader with some technical background for context.