Design for a House, Front Elevation and Plans 1878 - 1888

W. Strong’s “Design for a House, Front Elevation and Plans” is a 19th-century architectural drawing offering a glimpse into the aspirations and social values of the time. This design reflects the burgeoning middle class's desire for homes that symbolized upward mobility and refined taste. The detailed plans suggest a society that valued privacy, comfort, and the separation of domestic functions. But who was this house for? What did it mean to own property? These are questions that underscore issues of race, gender, and class. The house, likely intended for a white family, sits in stark contrast to the living conditions of marginalized communities, for whom home ownership was often an impossible dream. Think about the labor required to build such a house, likely performed by underpaid or enslaved workers, their contributions rendered invisible in the final design. This drawing serves as a reminder of the intertwined histories of privilege and oppression that shaped the American landscape.