Credit: Sue Barr / The Cosmic House

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Being the inquisitive (read: nosey) character that I am, I sure do love having a peek behind the curtain into other people’s homes. And so the fact that one of London’s most spectacular gaffs is actively inviting people in to have a snoop around it comes as pretty great news to me. The house in question is The Cosmic House and – as its name might suggest – it’s truly out of this world. It’s a private home turned museum that opens to the public for just a small number of days a year. And here’s how you could be one of the lucky Londoners that snaps up one of the sought-after tickets.

The Cosmic House

One of just two Grade I listed post-modernist buildings in the UK; The Cosmic House is pretty darn special. It was built between 1978 and 1983 by husband-and-wife duo, Charles and Maggie Jencks in collaboration with Sir Terry Farrell (the brains behind the iconic MI6 building). Armed with a fascination with the human body and the universe; they designed the house and filled it with a whole host of quirks and curiosities.

Credit: Sue Barr / The Cosmic House

From the front, the building looks like a relatively normal west London townhouse, but the very moment you step inside, you realise that it’s anything but. From the front door and the floor to the fixtures and the furniture, every nook and cranny of the house is intended to provoke thought and feeling. And the Jencks’s eccentric personalities are weaved throughout the space, with character, creativity, and conviviality filling each room. A landmark in the world of post-modernist architecture, the house was certainly ahead of its time, and to this very day, it still manages to seamlessly blend old and new, contemporary and classic, and high-art and kitsch.

Charles lived in The Cosmic House until he passed away in 2019, but he’d already decided the house’s fate of becoming a museum (which it did in 2021). The picture-perfect pad is bursting at the seams with intriguing things to gawp at. There’s the plethora of house-shaped bookshelves, the stunning Sundial Arcade, the ‘Dome of Water’ jacuzzi, and the calendar-inspired spiral staircase (just to name a few). This April, The Cosmic House will also host an art installation by British artist, Isaac Julian.

Credit: The Cosmic House

Visiting The Cosmic House

The Cosmic House is now open to the public from 12.30pm-4.30pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Its residential location restricts the number of people that are allowed to visit, meaning that tickets get snapped up very fast. Tickets are released at 12pm on the third Friday of each month for visits taking place the following month. Under 12’s are not permitted and high heels are also prohibited inside the house.

You’ll find The Cosmic House at 19 Lansdowne Walk, W11 3AH, and the nearest station is Holland Park. Find out more and plan your visit here.

The premise is straightforward: a volunteer host wears bright orange at a pub or bar, sets up extra chairs, and welcomes any stranger who wants to join them.
In a city where 35% of Londoners feel lonely, finding new ways to connect can be difficult. But Dean, the founder of this initiative, launched Empty Chairs to invite anyone wanting company to sit down and talk to tackle the loneliness problem.

A tribute to a friend

The project began as a personal response to tragedy. At the end of last year, Dean lost his best friend, Rob, to suicide. Struggling with the resulting grief, Dean decided to channel his energy into reaching people who might be feeling isolated.

“I was kind of sat around thinking, I either lay on my bathroom floor for the rest of my life, or I go out and do something to try and help other people,” Dean said. Because he and Rob often went to the pub for a pint, Dean figured a local bar would be the most natural environment to engage with those who might need someone to talk to.

From London to 15 countries

This weekly meet up group is helping fight loneliness in London - YouTube

What started as a single table has rapidly scaled into a widespread network. Empty Chairs now averages 70 events a week, supported by over 1,000 hosts. The weekly gatherings have spread beyond London, reaching across the UK and into 15 different countries.

“There’s no pressure to talk about anything, there’s no pressure to spend money,” Dean noted. The primary goal is simply to provide a space for connection.

Reflecting on the project’s rapid growth, Dean has seen two consistent themes: an eagerness for connection and the generosity of strangers. He notes that many people are actively looking for a community and a place to meet others.

Those looking to find an open seat or check the weekly schedule can locate upcoming gatherings via the Empty Chairs Instagram account.

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