The Jencks Foundation holds the archive of Charles Jencks (1939–2019). It is comprised of three general content areas: Charles’ work as a writer, critic, historian and designer of architecture; his work as a designer of cosmic land art installations in the UK and abroad; and his output as co-founder of the Maggies Cancer Caring Centres.
On this site you can find descriptions of the material in the archive and, in some cases, digitised versions. To learn more about our approach to the archive and how to get the most out of this catalogue please see Our Cataloguing Approach.
Work to catalogue the archive is currently in progress and we will be making new records available on a regular basis. Catalogue records relating to The Cosmic House were released in Spring 2023, and an overview catalogue of Charles' slides was added in Summer 2023. As of Spring 2024 you can now start to browse the shelves in the Architectural Library. For more about the work to catalogue Charles' extensive collection of books and slides here. Please check back regularly or sign up to the Jencks Foundation newsletter to be notified when additional material becomes available.
Not sure where to start? Search the catalogue above or browse by People & Organisations, Places, or view all digital images.
Research appointments to use the archive take place at The Cosmic House but do not include a tour of the building. To book tickets to visit The Cosmic House please visit the Jencks Foundation website.
The rear elevation of the Cosmic House, designed by Charles Jencks and Terry Farrell. The Time Garden was designed by Maggie Keswick Jencks.