In the late 1920s, at the height of American Art Deco, the New York architect Ralph Walker (1889-1973) began to craft a polemical theory of modern design. His theory, based in the “New Humanism” occupying American literary and philosophical circles during the roaring twenties, proposed a new way of thinking about the making of buildings, and par…[Read more]

Gathered in this special issue of Studies in the Decorative Arts are four articles that deal in different ways with the same thesis: that textiles and theories of textile design have a vital place in modern architecture and design. Ranging from the literal incorporation of textiles—curtains, pillowcases, blankets, rugs—into architectural ens…[Read more]

Abstract
The sprawling, polynucleated form of Dallas-Fort Worth presents challenges to traditional notions of civic public space. While it is anchored by two major cities, the metropolitan area is composed of over 200 incorporated cities and towns, each with its own separate local government and town hall. This fragmented pattern of growth is…[Read more]