Articles

As an important pioneer in the implementation and promotion of American organic functionalism in the field of architecture, Louis Sullivan's slogan “Form Follows Function” and his "organic functionalism" are often misunderstood intentionally or unintentionally, resulting in his organic architecture being divided into the opposite camp of modern functionalism and Art Nouveau. To some extent, this makes people ignore the credit of his architectural ideas for giving high-rise commercial buildings the American national spirit at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Through an analysis of the background of Sullivan's architectural thought and the causes of misunderstanding, this paper reveals the free, democratic and innovative American spirit conveyed by Sullivan's organic architecture, and explores how his practices contribute to the development of a positive architectural culture that shapes national self-confidence and identity. This discussion is particularly instructive given that architecture is becoming template-based processes in the modern world.