--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not so much about form versus…" description: "\"It's not so much about form versus functionality. Rather, it's about doing both and doing them a lot and doing them well-and that's how we should be ta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/joshua-prince-ramus-38582_architecture_it-s-not-so-much-about-form-versus-funct_14487.jpg" --- # It's not so much about form versus functionality. Rather… ![“It's not so much about form versus functionality. Rather, it's about doing both and doing them a lot and doing them well-and that's how we should be talking about architecture.” quote by Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/joshua-prince-ramus-38582_architecture_it-s-not-so-much-about-form-versus-funct_14487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/joshua-prince-ramus-38582_architecture_it-s-not-so-much-about-form-versus-funct_14487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/joshua-prince-ramus-38582_architecture_it-s-not-so-much-about-form-versus-funct_14487.jpg) > “It's not so much about form versus functionality. Rather, it's about doing both and doing them a lot and doing them well-and that's how we should be talking about architecture.” [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective architecture requires balancing aesthetic design with practical performance, and excelling in both aspects repeatedly. **In simple terms:** Blend form and function consistently. Key Takeaway Design must serve purpose and look good. Themes design functionality balance execution quality Mood inspired pragmatic confident Type observational prescriptive philosophical When to use this quote - product development - software design - urban planning - interior design - branding Key Concepts aesthetic performance integration iteration Practical Applications - guiding design reviews - setting project standards Questions to Reflect On - How can we measure success in both form and function? - What processes ensure continuous improvement in design? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) ## Related quotes > [I mean, if I'm talking about architecture, I like Robert Mallet-Stevens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-owens/i-mean-if-i-m-talking-about-architecture-i-like-robert-mallet-stevens/) [Rick Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-owens/) > [Every photograph is a battle of form versus content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/every-photograph-is-a-battle-of-form-versus-content/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [The research shows that if you meditate, the mind becomes still, and they can see the functionality and gray matter in the brain increase,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/the-research-shows-that-if-you-meditate-the-mind-becomes-still-and/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Sick is a relative concept. We're all sick. The question is, what degree of functionality do we have with respect to the rules society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sick-is-a-relative-concept-we-re-all-sick-the-question-is-what-degree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Technically I can get out of my wheelchair and crawl around and do things, but when I've traveled and they've lost my wheelchair in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/technically-i-can-get-out-of-my-wheelchair-and-crawl-around-and-do/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [I think we are in this era right now where every element in a webpage is rendered to within an inch of its life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khoi-vinh/i-think-we-are-in-this-era-right-now-where-every-element-in-a-webpage/) [Khoi Vinh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khoi-vinh/) > [Technological advances have always been driven more by a mind-set of 'I can' than 'I should' Technologists love to cram maximum functionality into their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maeda/technological-advances-have-always-been-driven-more-by-a-mind-set-of/) [John Maeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maeda/) > [This 'users are idiots, and are confused by functionality' mentality of Gnome is a disease. If you think your users are idiots, only idiots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/this-users-are-idiots-and-are-confused-by-functionality-mentality-of/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Google is in a position where it doesn't even have to strive to become a hip, conscious choice. Brands are temporary fads. Functionality is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/google-is-in-a-position-where-it-doesn-t-even-have-to-strive-to/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [This project started nearly twenty years ago as an assignment in my typography class at art school. Students were encouraged to see letters beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ji-lee/this-project-started-nearly-twenty-years-ago-as-an-assignment-in-my/) [Ji Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ji-lee/) > [“Functionality still matters, of course. But competition has pushed quality so high and prices so low that many manufacturers can no longer distinguish themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/functionality-still-matters-of-course-but-competition-has-pushed/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [Our ultimate goal is extensible programming. By this, we mean the construction of hierarchies of modules, each module adding new functionality to the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklaus-wirth/our-ultimate-goal-is-extensible-programming-by-this-we-mean-the/) [Niklaus Wirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklaus-wirth/) > [When I was little, I just was very tuned in to the functionality and aesthetics of things around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-heatherwick/when-i-was-little-i-just-was-very-tuned-in-to-the-functionality-and/) [Thomas Heatherwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-heatherwick/) > [I'm not looking to step in and make 'big, bold changes' - I think reddit is great, and the team has a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yishan-wong/i-m-not-looking-to-step-in-and-make-big-bold-changes-i-think-reddit/) [Yishan Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yishan-wong/) > [I like modern efficiencies and functionality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-scott/i-like-modern-efficiencies-and-functionality/) [Drew Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-scott/) ## More by Joshua Prince-Ramus > [I always wanted to do something creative, but as much as I'm creative, it's in a really hard-core, right-brained way. For me, painting doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/i-always-wanted-to-do-something-creative-but-as-much-as-i-m-creative/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > ['Form follows function' comes with so much baggage. It's a worthless phrase because you'll never take it for what it means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/form-follows-function-comes-with-so-much-baggage-it-s-a-worthless/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [It’s time for architecture to do things again, not just represent things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/it-s-time-for-architecture-to-do-things-again-not-just-represent/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [Architecture is by definition a very collaborative process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/architecture-is-by-definition-a-very-collaborative-process/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [Architecture is not created by individuals. The genius sketch ... is a myth. Architecture is made by a team of committed people who work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/architecture-is-not-created-by-individuals-the-genius-sketch-is-a/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [When I went to college, I thought I was going to become a professional musician. I was a French horn player, so I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/when-i-went-to-college-i-thought-i-was-going-to-become-a-professional/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [Architects have created this fake separation between creation and execution. You can see it in architecture schools, where the students look down on going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/architects-have-created-this-fake-separation-between-creation-and/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [Public libraries are the last vestige of public free space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/public-libraries-are-the-last-vestige-of-public-free-space/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [Some people think architecture is about the genius sketch; I don't. Great architecture is a collaboration among a lot of people over a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/some-people-think-architecture-is-about-the-genius-sketch-i-don-t/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [Working off one genius sketch is not the way great architecture should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/working-off-one-genius-sketch-is-not-the-way-great-architecture/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) [Explore all 11 Joshua Prince-Ramus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) ## More Architecture quotes > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [The Parthenon is really only a farmyard over which someone put a roof; colonades and sculptures were added because there were people in Athens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-parthenon-is-really-only-a-farmyard-over-which-someone-put-a-roof/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [When I am asked what I believe in, I say that I believe in architecture. Architecture is the mother of the arts. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-meier/when-i-am-asked-what-i-believe-in-i-say-that-i-believe-in/) [Richard Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-meier/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [London, from the architecture to the culture to the fashion to the accents, feels like it's a special place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/london-from-the-architecture-to-the-culture-to-the-fashion-to-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Architecture is not a profession for the faint-hearted, the weak-willed, or the short-lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-filler/architecture-is-not-a-profession-for-the-faint-hearted-the-weak/) [Martin Filler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-filler/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. It's just an idea. Ninety-nine per cent never get built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/winning-a-competition-in-architecture-is-a-ticket-to-oblivion-it-s/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [Engineering, medicine, business, architecture and painting are concerned not with the necessary but with the contingent - not with how things are but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-simon/engineering-medicine-business-architecture-and-painting-are-concerned/) [Herbert Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-simon/) > [Structure is nothing if it is all you got. Skeletons spook people if they try to walk around on their own. I really wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/structure-is-nothing-if-it-is-all-you-got-skeletons-spook-people-if/) [Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/) [Browse all 3,013 Architecture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not so much about form versus functionality. 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