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

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.