The Thematic House (presently known as the Cosmic House) is a house at 19 Lansdowne Walk in Holland Park, Kensington, London. It has been listed Grade I on the

National Heritage List for England The National Heritage List for England (NHLE) is England's official database of protected heritage assets. It includes details of all English listed buildings, scheduled monuments, register of historic parks and gardens, protected shipwrecks, a ...

since May 2018. It was designed by

Charles Jencks 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 i ...

in collaboration with other

postmodern architects Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of moderni ...

including Terry Farrell and

Michael Graves Michael Graves (July 9, 1934 – March 12, 2015) was an American architect, designer, and educator, as well as principal of Michael Graves and Associates and Michael Graves Design Group. He was a member of The New York Five and the Memphis Gr ...

, as his own home.Listed postmodern buildings - in pictures.
''The Guardian'', 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018. The sculptors Celia Scott and

Eduardo Paolozzi Sir Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi (, ; 7 March 1924 – 22 April 2005) was a Scottish artist, known for his sculpture and graphic works. He is widely considered to be one of the pioneers of pop art. Early years Eduardo Paolozzi was born on 7 March ...

also participated in its development. The existing 1840s end-of-terrace villa was initially purchased by Jencks and his wife Maggie Keswick in May 1978, and the transformation of the main structure was completed in 1983. The stucco-fronted building houses such interior features as

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedim ...

ed bookshelves, a sundial window seat, and an upside-down classical dome serving as a

jacuzzi Jacuzzi Brands LLC (; ), through its subsidiaries, is a global manufacturer and distributor of branded baths, hot tubs, pools, saunas and, formerly, aircraft. Founded in 1915 by the Italian family of the same name, Jacuzzi is a federally regist ...

. The main Solar Stair is complemented by a semi-circular 'Moonwell', which channels natural light over a darker area. The house encapsulates Jencks's theories, and there are plans for it to be converted into an archive museum, named the 'Cosmic House', which could be open to the public by appointment. It opened to the public from 24 September 2021, as "The Cosmic House".

References

External links

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Photographs of Thematic House
at museandmaker.com Grade I listed buildings in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Postmodern architecture in the United Kingdom Grade I listed houses in London Houses in Holland Park {{UK-listed-building-stub