- TF.2.2.1.LW
- Subseries
- 1979-1982
Part of Farrell (Sir Terry) Archive
In this project (1979-1982) Charles Jencks, Maggie Keswick and Terry Farrell worked together on the conversion of the Jencks family home in Holland Park, West London. Sir Terry Farrell was heavily involved in the initial phase of renovation which changed certain internal structural features, building upon his experience of altering an existing property to introduce modern amenities.
The exterior of the existing 19th Century house was largely retained with small alterations. The interior meanwhile was extensively restructured, with the addition of a two-storey annexe, paired interlocking conservatories, a central spiral staircase and mirrored light shaft creating a dynamic space symbolically inspired by the cosmos, the solar system, and the seasons. The structural cylinder of the central staircase, supporting both itself and two adjacent walls, was cut at various points to allow both light and deliberate cross-views, sometimes uniting four rooms in a single vista. The main Solar Stair is complemented by a semi-circular 'Moonwell', which channels natural light over a darker area. The house encompassed Terry Farrell's contemporaneous philosophy that ‘circulation is a structure and form in its own right, and its celebration is the essence of the architectural solution.’