Submitted by Kristi Wachter on
Obviously, the purpose of a building is the biggest factor in how it will look - especially how big it is. An apartment building needs to be bigger than a house, and an auditorium is likely to be bigger than a bookstore.
This is the heart of the best-known quote about architecture: "Form follows function."
So ask: what was this building built for?
And since the use of a building can change with time, ask: what is it used for now?
A good example is the Masonic Temple in San Francisco – it was originally built as a gathering place for Masons, but it's now used for city government offices, and it also has a theatre.
Some types of buildings:
- Apartment building
- Bank
- Civic building
- Club
- Commercial building
- Firehouse
- Garage
- Government building
- Hotel
- Library
- Power substation
- Theatre
- Warehouse