The Red House: Bexleyheath 1859 Philip Webb - Softcover

Hollamby, Edward

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0714831301 ISBN 13: 9780714831305

Publisher: Phaidon Inc Ltd, 2001

Synopsis

Designed for William Morris, and heavily influenced by him, this seminal building represents one of the earliest expressions of the arts and crafts ideal, eschewing formal facades in favour of asymmetry and venacular form.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Red House Bexleyheath 1859 Architect: Philip Webb Text: Edward Hollamby Photographs: Charlotte Wood Foreword: Sir Hugh Casson Red House, designed for William Morris by his architect friend Philip Webb in 1858, is famous throughout the world as a seminal Arts and Crafts building. While apparently unnoticed at the time of its construction, it nevertheless had such symbolic power that it later came to be seen as the herald of a new age of honest, truthful and democratic architecture. The German scholar Muthesius described it, in 1904, as ‘the first private house of the new artistic culture, the first house to be conceived as a whole inside and out, the very first example in the history of the modern house’; and it subsequently entered most of the written histories of ‘modern’ architecture, including Nicholaus Pevsner’s influential Pioneers of the Modern Movement published in 1936. Today the appeal of Red House seems stronger than ever. An increasing stream of visitors from all over the world turn up at the wooden gate in the red brick wall, to ask for permission to enter. Those who can make the pilgrimage are the lucky few. For the rest, this monograph conveys — as far as the printed page can do so — the reality of Red House. Following an illustrated essay which tells the history of the building and describes in detail what it is like today, the book contains large reproductions of Philip Webb’s original drawings, a comprehensive set of current measured drawings of the house, and a portfolio of 24 outsize photographs conveying with great verisimilitude what it is actually like to walk around, and through, Red House. There is also a definitive chronology and bibliography. This is therefore the first complete and authentic record of Red House. It is meant equally for scholars and historians, practising architects and architectural students, and lay enthusiasts. Architecture in Detail Series Director: Maritz Vandenberg Architecture in Detail is a constantly growing archive of architectural masterworks, mostly but not exclusively from the twentieth century. Each selected building is described and evaluated by an expert author, and documented by means of extra-large photographs and a comprehensive set of accurate scaled drawings. There is also, in each case, a definitive bibliography and chronology of the building in question. Each of these monographs is therefore a complete and accurate archival record, intended to be the standard reference on that building for students and scholars as well as practising architects. Initial volumes are listed here. Many more are in preparation, and will be published at a rate of about 8 per annum. Information on forthcoming titles is obtainable from the publisher. 01 The Mound Stand, Lord’s Cricket Ground London 1987 Architects: Michael Hopkins and Partners Text: David Jenkins Photographs: Dave Bower ISBN 0 442 30820 5 02 The Joseph Shops London 1983–1989 Architect: Eva Jiricna Text: Jose Manser Photographs: Richard Bryant and Alastair Hunter ISBN 0 442 30827 2 03 Red House Bexleyheath 1859 Architect: Philip Webb Text: Edward Hollamby Photographs: Charlotte Wood Foreword by Sir Hugh Casson ISBN 0 442 30821 3 04 The Renault Centre Swindon 1982 Architect: Norman Foster Text: Chris Abel Photographs: Dennis Gilbert ISBN 0 442 30826 4 05 The Financial Times Print Works London 1988 Architects: Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners Text: David Jenkins Photographs: Jo Reid and John Peck ISBN 0 442 30819 1

Edition details

• Publisher: Phaidon Inc Ltd
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0714831301
• ISBN 13: 9780714831305
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 60