There's a movement in residential architecture toward re-establishing the Romantic. In the Romantic, first conceived by the Edwardians, architects borrow on motifs from history to design or embellish their new houses, with the beautiful buildings of English architect Sir Edwin Lutyens becoming a prominent design guidepost. Lutyens was a habitual borrower himself, using medieval, Elizabethan, Georgian and classical decoration in his arts and crafts styling. Here are two of the best practicing today.
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| You can see the historical influence in this house by McAlpine Tankersley. |
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| Here Pursley has beautifully recreated the English Arts and Crafts. |
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| Ivy Rock is a Lutyens house from 1904 |
In the visual arts, Romanticism seemed about illiciting emotions & capturing the sublime-what does it mean in architecture?
ReplyDeleteI would say 'Romantic' in architecture would fit those descriptions. The use of design elements that would draw from past buildings encouraged a sense of continuity with that past as well as a perceived history perhaps only seen in story or novel. It is King Aurthur, Lady Chatterley and Les Trois Mousquetaires all rolled in to structure. The 'Romantic' is a compilation of shared European ideals and visual design cues, a little Italy, a bit of France, some England and a touch of Spain integrated into the practical design and construction practices of the Arts and Crafts movement.
ReplyDeleteNice reply. I would add that for Lutyens, romanticism (a term I doubt he ever used) also meant a gradual unfolding of the design rather than an immediate perception of the whole intent. He always choreographed one's movement through his houses and the gardens that were such an integral part of the entire experience. An appreciation for gardens, flowers and the beauty of nature is another facet of romanticism.
ReplyDeleteOne note: Ivy Rock was not actually designed by Lutyens but by an architect named Evill (really!) who worked for Lutyens. There are lots of pictures of real Lutyens houses on-line.