Furniture in Architecture: The Work of Luke Hughes

Luke Hughes & Company’s enduring and meticulously engineered furniture, an eloquent response both to architecture and 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, their work furnishes many of the world’s most distinguished buildings, from the Yale School of Management and Congregation Beit Simchat Torah Synagogue in New York to Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Oxford and Cambridge colleges, and Keystone Academy in Beijing.

Through an introduction to the studio and twenty-five 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. Author 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.