There are many more Arts and Crafts buildings and collections to see beyond the walls of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the International Arts and Crafts exhibition.
Here a selection of sites of interest in the London area are featured, although there are many more. For further information on places to visit near you and around the country, please see the trails at www.artsandcraftsmuseum.org.uk or the additional links on this website.
Arts and Crafts Architecture
Arts and Crafts architecture was, like the movement itself, defined
more by a set of ideals and principles than a particular architectural
style.
Many of its leading figures were architects, rather than designers, and
they came to view buildings and their interiors as a whole. They worked
in a variety of media, often with other artists, and hoped to bring a
greater unity to the arts. As a result, Arts and Crafts buildings often
included sculpture and carved or tiled decoration, sometimes with highly
symbolic imagery.
Another defining feature of Arts and Crafts architecture was an
interest in the vernacular. Architects used local materials and
traditional styles to create something that would not jar with its
surroundings, but at the same time distinctive and modern. Many hoped to
revive traditional building and craft skills, or to design buildings
that looked as if they had grown over many years.
While the majority of Arts and Crafts buildings were domestic, the
architects of the movement also addressed the various needs of churches,
museums and commercial buildings.
