Calling all residents in Letchworth living in a home designed by the architect Barry Parker – the Garden City Collection needs you!
The team at the Collection is creating a comprehensive record of Parker’s Letchworth roots by compiling a series of images showing the interior and exterior of Parker houses in Letchworth as they are today. These photos will form part of an exhibition to celebrate his life and works, opening on 4 May at Broadway Gallery. To do that, they need your help. They are looking for photos of your house or a favourite feature such as door latches, fireplaces, doors or perhaps original Parker furniture.
Vicky Axell, Curator of the Garden City Collection said: “If you live in a house designed by Parker, whether it’s a small cottage or larger detached house, we want to hear. We believe Parker was an unsung hero of the Arts & Crafts movement and want to use this exhibition to show his influence across the UK and around the world, including Portugal and Brazil.
“Our photographer is happy to come to people’s houses to take new photos or we are happy to use photos taken by residents. All images collected will be displayed at the exhibition. It’s a fantastic way for the local community to be part of this special exhibition.”
Parker, along with his business partner Raymond Unwin, created the template for the Garden Cities model. He believed passionately that architecture and thoughtful planning of community spaces could change lives - Letchworth Garden City was his masterpiece and his home for more than 40 years.
The exhibition, which is being created by the team at the Garden City Collection, will showcase a selection of the 4,500 historical objects from the Parker Collection. Visitors will be able to see architectural plans and drawings from both the UK and abroad, including early checkerboard street plans, which allowed gardens on three sides of the house improving space and light, and plans for Oporto in Portugal sharing many characteristics with Letchworth.
Photographs, fine art produced by Parker and furniture will bring to life his interiors and exteriors, with signature Arts & Crafts features and some individual touches. This includes Parker’s own master bedroom with sliding windows for open air sleeping thought to be beneficial to health at the time.
To submit your photos or arrange for our photographer to come to your home, contact the Garden City Collection on 01462 476075 or by email at gcc@letchworth.com
