Good design-- Form follows Function

I was reading a chapter on the spirit and beauty and art in a book owned by a friend. I need to read it again more carefully but I did pick up on the author's comments that art started to go downhill so to speak with the idea early last century about form following function. And he used the example of ugly modern buildings. 

While a lot of buildings are not very interesting and many are ugly, I do not think that form following function is to blame. Poor design can't be blamed on form following function. Except perhaps a building filled with accountants or stockbrokers or insurance workers might be excused being dour looking.

Banks used to be designed like temples. Perhaps their function was worshipping money.

CBD Auckland has a lot of interesting and sometimes delightful buildings. These rather ordinary windows make wonderful patterns reflected in an art gallery window.