Charles Jencks’s Peculiar Landscaping Art

Charles Jencks is an American architect and landscape artist, well-known as the critic who first defined post-modernism in architecture, an event which led to its subsequent definition in many fields. Born in America, for the past four decades Charles has lived and worked in Britain, where his curious designs are found in both buildings and sculptural landscapes where he is famous for his use of geometric shapes and spiral mounds.

One of Jencks’ celebrated design is The Garden of Cosmic Speculation in Scotland, designed in 1988 and dedicated to Jencks' late wife. The garden is inspired by science and mathematics, with sculptures and landscaping on these themes, such as Black Holes and Fractals. The garden is not abundant with plants, but sets mathematical formulae and scientific phenomenae in a setting which elegantly combines natural features and artificial symmetry and curves.

Other works include Designs for Black Hole Landscape, IUCAA, Pune, India, 2002; Portello Park, Milan 2002-7 (Time Garden 2004-7); Two Cells – Inverness Maggie's Centre, 2003-5; Northumberlandia Landform, 2004; Cells of Life, Jupiter Artland, Bonnington House 2003-2010; Crawick Landforms, 2006- ; Memories of the Future landform and reclamation project, Altdobern, Germany; Wu Chi, Black Hole Oval Terrace, Beijing Olympic Park, 2008; and The Scottish World, St. Ninians, Kelty.