Built between 1978 and 1983 in the Holland Park district of London, the Cosmic House is the birthplace of the Jencks Foundation, founded by Charles Jencks, architect and architectural theorist, who notably wrote Le Language of postmodern architecture. It is therefore no surprise that the famous building displays the codes of this movement born at the end of the 1970s. Acumen takes you on a tour of the property.
1- Garden side
The garden-facing façade is adorned in four places with the "Jencksiana Symbol." It was his love of symbols, signs, and semiotics that led Jencks to design the Jencksiana, a motif reminiscent of an abstract human face. Presented in various forms throughout the house, and inspired by the Palladian window, it displays curved elements evoking a forehead, eyes, and a chin.
2- Exhibition Room
This room illustrates the evolution of scientific representations of the Sun in its ceiling lights. The room, which overlooks the Time Garden, features a malachite floor and a sculpture of the Sun and Earth created by Charles and Lily Jencks.
3 and 12 - Solar Stair
The staircase is a cantilevered concrete spiral with mosaic tiles Black Hole Eduardo Paolozzi's work is located at its base. This structure references the double helix of DNA, the spiral motion of galaxies and time, as well as the Sun and the solar system. Jencks consulted scientists and astronomers to design it. In the initial sketches, the Jencks couple wanted to integrate a wall of solar panels on the south facade. However, the original plan was modified, and the facade was fitted with large skylights, allowing sunlight and heat to be absorbed by this south-facing wall. The solar heat was intended to accumulate at the base of the Solar Stair and then rise up the vertical shaft to heat the entire house.
4- Cosmic Oval
This strange silhouette on the ceiling greets visitors at the entrance to the house. It represents several theories about the origin of the Universe. Thus, the oval shape references both ancient myths, according to which the world was born from an egg, and contemporary scientific discoveries about the elliptical shape of the Universe. As with many other parts of the house related to the Cosmos, Charles Jencks consulted astronomers during its design, so that his creations reflected the latest scientific advances on the subject.
5- Winter Room
In this room, the fireplace was designed by Michael Graves, another major figure in postmodernism. On it rests a bust of Hephaestus by Celia Scott, the god of fire and the forge in classical mythology, who is a powerful presence in this space. His Greek name derives from the words "hearth" and "to kindle." It is said that the Scottish artist Eduardo Paolozzi was chosen by Jencks to portray Hephaestus.
6- Spring Room
In this room, Michael Graves once again designed the fireplace. The element is crowned by three female figures, representing the three months of spring and the three ages of Venus: April for the young Venus, May for Venus Flora, and June for Venus Humanitas, older and wiser.
8- Four Square Room
This room is the bedroom of Charles and Maggie Jencks. The architect designed it around numerous iterations of the subdivided square motif, which he considered the elementary form of architecture, with mirrors and divided levels creating plays of space.
9, 10 and 11 – Architectural Library
Formerly Charles Jencks' office, the space is topped with a tent-shaped roof, painted the same color as the sky. The room was conceived as a "village of libraries" by the architect, where each piece of furniture is a building dedicated to a style or theme in architecture.
Cosmic House
19 Lansdowne Walk, London (England)
