The Cosmic House
Join the BIID for a tour of the late Charles Jencks' home, The Cosmic House, a contemporary parallel to Sir John Soane’s House completed a century and a half earlier.
Both houses were intended as expressions of personality, ideas, and as tools for teaching and illustrating the history and potential of architecture. Like Sir John Soane’s House, The Cosmic House has its own complex narrative, a story which unwinds as the visitor wanders around and in which the house itself becomes a character.
Densely packed with ideas, symbols and motifs, its architecture embraces an entire cosmos of architectural allusion, history, metaphor, and reference. Switching between pop and classical culture, between high art and accessible kitsch, it became a built manifesto for the architecture that emerged in reaction to the slowly solidifying canon of Modernism as it faded in the late mid-century. Designed in collaboration with architect (Sir) Terry Farrell, and built between 1978 and 1983, the house became a forum for conversation and dialogue at the epicentre of the Post-Modern moment and the cultural discourse around ideas, history, science, and aesthetics.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Guests will be introduced via a short introduction and a 10-minute video, discussing the house, Charles Jencks, and Post-modernism. The following tour will be a self-led excursion around the house, with each visitor given a brochure to keep which will act as guide.
ABOUT THE ARCHITECT
Charles Alexander Jencks (21 June 1939 – 13 October 2019) was an American cultural theorist, landscape designer, architectural historian, and co-founder of the Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres. He published over thirty books and became famous in the 1980s as theorist of Postmodernism. Jencks devoted time to landform architecture, especially in Scotland. These landscapes include the Garden of Cosmic Speculation and earthworks at Jupiter Artland outside Edinburgh. His continuing project Crawick Multiverse, commissioned by the Duke of Buccleuch, opened in 2015 near Sanquhar.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This event is open to BIID Registered Interior Designers, Associates, Provisional Associates, BIID Student members, Affiliates, Retired Members, Dual International Members and Employees of BIID Registered Design Practices. Tickets are limited to two per guest. If you would like to bring a friend please book two tickets. Tickets not purchased by a member of one of the categories above will be cancelled and the BIID will incur a cancellation fee.
Additional Information
Visitor information and accessibility can be found here
If this event is fully booked, please join the waiting list. If you are no longer able to attend, please inform the office so that we can give your spot to someone else.
The advertised price does not include VAT.
If you have any queries, please email the office at info@biid.org.uk or call 020 7628 0255.
By booking a ticket to this event you are agreeing to the BIID event terms and conditions
Photo Credit: Sue Barr
Latest Events
Graduated or approaching graduation and feeling a little apprehensive?
Explore the fundamentals of sketching to quickly and confidently record spaces, ideas, and compositions - perfect for interior designers at any level.
New Designers celebrates its 40th anniversary edition this summer.
Move beyond observation - use sketching to explore, brainstorm, and express ideas with confidence and creativity.
Now in its fourth year, WOW!house, the award-winning designer showhouse, is back at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour from 3 June – 3 July.
The Manchester Furniture Show, scheduled for 6-7 July 2025 at Manchester Central, stands as the UK's premier summer sourcing event for furniture and interiors.