Arts and Crafts and a New Style That Lasts

One of the most influential men of 19^th century architecture is not actually an architect. He is a furniture maker, theorist, designer of wallpaper and tapestries, poet, and social activist but there are no buildings in his portfolio. I am writing about William Morris, one of the father’s of the Arts and Crafts movement which lasted from 1860-1910. His designs stem from his dislike of industrialization, and desire to retain the art of craftsmanship in handmade elements. His thoughts on society created the overarching ideal in the Arts and Crafts movement of industry ruining the quality of product from artisans. 

Morris’s longstanding family residence is known as Red House. Designed by Phillip Webb, this house is an early example of Art’s and Craft’s style. This house reflects Morris’s ideals of strong craftsmanship, natural materials and a complete design from the walls, to curtains, to chairs. The brick was used as a natural man-made, not factory-made product. In addition to strong design values, Morris had strong values in Social Justice. He saw industry destroying the lifestyle of craftsman, and the quality of products declining. Everything in Red House was designed with these ideas in mind. The layout is simple in shape and flows in a very linear manner. The inside is full of built-ins and the furniture is designed in the same style throughout the home.

Red House, by Phillip Web and  William Morris

http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/william-morris-and-philip-webb-red-house.html

Although Morris was not a true “Architect,” I believe he was a great designer. I can truly appreciate the wholeness of thinking in his design. Good design is not just a shell of a building but the space inside and how that space is formatted. Program can be a large factor in designing, but we often forget the actions don’t happen in empty rooms, they need furniture and places not just empty spaces. Morris designed lamps and wallpaper and furniture to fill the home and coordinate with the language of the exterior. 

Wallpaper Design by William Morris

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/artblog/2007/feb/02/writingsonthewallformorri

Morris was strongly influence by nature. This relates back to his belief that the Industrial Revolution led to a poor quality of like and a design to look back to the easy lifestyle of the medieval ages. The ideas came from the desire to exploit the natural materials as opposed the creating artificial ones in a factory. The style of the time was using ornate decorations to layer and cover materials. Morris wanted to strip away the layers and emphasis the material’s used. This is shown very well in the details of his interiors.

 Detail of the woodwork in one of William Morris's Bedrooms

http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-136761/A-room-was-decorated-in-the-Arts-and-Crafts-style

Ruskin’s ideals are very clearly seen in Morris’s designs. Ruskin valued the spirit of the carver in his designs with closely aligns with Morris’s ideas of improving life for craftsmen. Morris was attempting to create social reform through his designs much in the way that Ruskin believe architecture was a symbol for the entire societies values. Morris’s was rebelling against the Industry and attempting to change society’s values by elevating the designs of craftsmen. This is how he was changing and shaping not only design but also society of the 19^th century.

Morris is a designed I admire and truly aspire to be like. The holistic designs encompass the entire house. I appreciate how he takes his concept and values and apply them to every aspect he designs. I also I appreciate how he allowed the exterior of the building to express the interior functions. This is something I try to incorporate into my designs. I don’t see the value in covering up a building in a static façade. The building should be inviting and readable to a bystander. Materiality is very important in design and a build should be tactile. Morris designed with values and ideals which were innovative in his time but have had a lasting impression on architecture.