RIP Charles Jencks

The architect Charles Jencks has died. I first came across him via a book: The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, which fascinated me.

As the book’s blurb said, it was

A unique and compelling narrative of one of the most important gardens in Europe designed by the internationally celebrated architecture critic and designer, Charles Jencks.

About 10 years later, I visited two landscapes designed by him: the Crawick Multiverse and the Garden of Cosmic Speculation itself. Neither disappointed.

I see from his obituary that Jencks included the architect Bruce Goff in his pantheon of Post-Modern architects. That’s another name that resonates with me, and has done so for nigh on 60 years, since I first saw pictures of the Bavinger House, and fell in love with it. Alas, all things must pass – the Bavinger House was demolished a few years ago. Hopefully Jencks’ monumental landscape designs will last somewhat longer.