Furniture in Architecture: The Work of Luke Hughes – Arts & Crafts in the Digital Age

The first survey of the work of Luke Hughes & Company, which has been described as embodying ‘a craft-led renaissance in British manufacturing'

Luke Hughes & Company’s enduring and meticulously engineered furniture, an eloquent response both to the architecture it inhabits and to the true Arts and Crafts spirit, has been placed at the forefront of the ‘craft-led renaissance in British manufacturing.’ Flexible in use, commercially viable and environmentally sustainable, the work furnishes many of the world’s most distinguished buildings, from Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and most of the Oxford and Cambridge University colleges to the Keystone Academy in Beijing and one of New York City’s most vibrant synagogues.

Through an introduction to the studio and 25 case studies, Furniture in Architecture explores the company’s place in the Arts and Crafts tradition and examines the philosophy and work of founder Luke Hughes. Aidan Walker sheds light on how the studio balances modern manufacturing technologies with abiding craft values, rendering the small furniture workshop a relevant and profitable proposition even when fulfilling large-scale commissions. This fascinating survey defines the elements of successful design and addresses the meaning of craft and craftsmanship in the digital age.

Table of Contents

Introduction • 1. Places of Worship • 2. Places of Work and Leisure • 3. Places of
Learning • Bibliography

Walker shows how Hughes balances time-honored craftsmanship with modern technology. --Craft

Aidan Walker is an experienced cabinetmaker, editor of The Encyclopedia of Wood, and former editorial director of most of the UK's professional design journals. Tanya Harrod is one of the most highly regarded craft historians working today. Her book The Crafts in Britain in the Twentieth Century (1999) won the Historians of British Art book award in 2000.