Tuesday, April 26, 2011

HSTARC2 : On the Arts & Crafts movement.

The inventiveness of the Victorians led to the boom of the construction industry. They were great at making the most out of technology to create new things that could benefit the people and successfully created various machines that helped in hastening the construction process. Over time, they developed their craft skills and were able to master the usage of different tools and materials which demonstrated great craftsmanship. With the use of local materials and pure artistry, the Arts and Crafts architecture was born.

At that time, William Morris was a famous designer known for his exceptional craftsmanship helped spread this new art movement. He was able to create beautifully ornamented household furnitures some of which still made up to this day. The chair in the picture below shows how honest it is letting its materials speak for themselves.
Rossetti Chair by William Morris

The artists of this period had great respect for materials may it be stone, wood, metal or brick. They carefully chose which material to use for different subjects and made sure they go along perfectly. They paid much importance to keeping their works clean, exposing it and leaving it honest – true to its design and materials. Wood was widely used for their floors and walls. I love the fact that not only did they have respect for the design outcome but also for the materials they used in the process. Basically, this period exemplified a craft-based architecture wherein they put much attention to details to create an authentic sophisticated overall design. 

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