The Politics of Function and Social Discipline in Victorian Interior Spaces

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jhet.202615432

Author(s)

Yang Yu

Affiliation(s)

Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China

Abstract

Victorian interior design is a typical case of the manifestation of social relations in space. Waddesdon Manor has a hierarchy of lapis lazuli and gilding; Red House is the ideal of craftsmanship with red brick and mortise-and-tenon joints, and Queen Anne Revival houses have created various designs to offer a sense of culture. These examples show that space is not only a place for daily life but also a vehicle for expressing power, morality and culture. Material choices visually asserted class identity, while spatial arrangement and the symbolic coding of soft furnishings expressed social discipline. At present, the main problems that Victorian homes have presented are related to the basic qualities of space. Key questions include how to meet the demands of both technology and tradition in materials and craftsmanship, and how to promote social interaction through spatial arrangement without reproducing hierarchical oppression. As the Red House suggests, design innovation should first consider people. Space can better meet people's physical and cultural needs, thereby reconciling tradition and modernity.

Keywords

Victorian Era; Interior Design; Spatial Discipline; Material Construction; Soft Furnishing Craftsmanship; Social Relations

References

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