based on the principle that the most important thing about an object or building is its use rather than what it looks like

a compact, 1930s functionalist building that was once the local bank 一座曾经是当地银行、紧凑的1930年代功能主义建筑

These commercial office blocks share a depressingly functionalist approach to architecture. 这些商业办公大楼均采用了功能主义建筑风格，令人压抑。

describing or examining something according to its use or purpose

A functionalist explanation considers an animal's traits acording to their contribution to the animal's survival. 功能主义者的理解是动物的特性要用这些特性对这种动物生存（繁衍）的贡献值来进行考量。

From a functionalist perspective, society is regarded as a system. 从功能主义者的角度来看，社会被视为一个系统。