English Audio Request

Topic: When designing a building, the most important factor is the intended use of the building rather than its outward appearance. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Model answer:

When it comes to building design, architects often have to make compromises between form and function. Many feel that the purpose of the building should dictate these decisions. I agree that how the building will be used is a key factor, but I think that how it looks is just as important.

Those who argue that a building should be constructed according to its function are mainly thinking about the people who will later use the building. If a building is unable to perform its most basic functions, then it is undoubtedly a failed project. For example, if an architect is building a primary school then they must consider parking areas, how cars will pick up and drop off children, where to put the playground, access for people with disabilities, and that is just the area around the school. A beautiful parking lot that only has room for a handful of cars is useless. Inside the school, they also need classrooms that are large enough, hallways that do not get easily too crowded, a good number and location of restrooms and many other pragmatic concerns. If the architect is overly focused on how the school looks, then they may sacrifice ease of use and practicality.

However, the look of the building is also important because of the role of art in everyday life. Architecture is often considered one of the original and purest forms of artistic expression. I am reminded of a quote from Pablo Picasso who said ‘Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.’ Imagine a city filled with ugly, utilitarian structures like many Soviet-era buildings. These buildings will not lift people’s spirits or encourage them to contemplate the intended message. Contrast this with a city where architects have been given free rein to be artists. As long as the buildings are also functional, you will find a city filled with beauty and provocation that enhances life for its inhabitants. The outward appearance does not have to be beautiful, but it has a responsibility to contribute something to enrich the lives of everyday people.

In conclusion, how a building works is equally as important as how that same building looks. Form should not follow function but be fused together in order to add to the aesthetic dimension of a city. It is undoubtedly more challenging, expensive and time-consuming to achieve this kind of balance, but it is also worth the effort.