Baillie Scott : Architect and Author – Diane Haigh and William Fawcett
M. H. Baillie Scott (1865-1945) was one of the most influential architects and designers of the British Arts and Crafts movement. A pioneering figure in domestic architecture, he championed the belief that well-designed homes and interiors should enrich everyday life and be accessible to a wide audience.
Based on Diane Haigh's acclaimed Baillie Scott: The Artistic House, and featuring John Betjeman's memorable portrait of the architect within the cultural context of his age, this revised and expanded edition incorporates new research and is richly illustrated throughout with full-colour photography, architectural drawings and period material.
Best known for his country houses and garden designs, Baillie Scott also made important contributions to housing layout and planning, including work at Hampstead Garden Suburb. Beyond architecture, he designed furniture, joinery, stained glass, embroidery and a wide range of decorative details, creating unified and carefully considered interiors. His innovative approach to spatial planning anticipated the modern open-plan house and invites comparison with his American contemporary, Frank Lloyd Wright.
The book explores these achievements in an engaging and accessible manner, highlighting Baillie Scott's enduring influence on domestic architecture and design. A substantial new section is devoted to his own writings, including selections from his influential publication Houses and Gardens (1906). These texts reveal his thoughts on architecture, craftsmanship, Modernism, and the ideas of William Morris, alongside practical reflections on domestic planning and design.
Also included are fascinating examples of Baillie Scott's correspondence, notably with the German architectural critic Hermann Muthesius and with a client commissioning an English country house in Switzerland. Written with intelligence, clarity and wit, these documents provide valuable insight into the thinking of one of Britain's most original architectural designers.
Expert commentary by William Fawcett accompanies each extract, making this volume an essential resource for anyone interested in Arts and Crafts architecture, historic interiors, and the development of the modern home.
Authors: Diane Haigh and William Fawcett
Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd
Format: Hardback
Pages: 224
ISBN: 9781848227491
Publication date: September 2026