Art of Building a Home

An exhibition celebrating the life and works of Barry Parker, one of the unsung heroes of the Arts & Crafts Movement, will open at Letchworth’s Broadway Gallery in January 2026.

Parker, along with his business partner Raymond Unwin, created the template for the Garden Cities model but his influence on architecture globally is less well known. 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 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 pieces will bring to life his interiors and exteriors, with signature Arts & Crafts features and some individual touches, such as Parker’s own master bedroom with sliding windows for open air sleeping thought to be beneficial to health at the time.