Now the Pitzhanger estate is part of the Ealing County of Greater London, but in the time of John Soane it was a property in Middlesex, which the architect acquired in 1800. After rebuilding the existing manor house, Soun turned it into a state villa for receiving guests - friends and customers. The new façade in the form of a triumphal arch, the intricate domed lobby space, spectacular natural lighting, original decor and color scheme of the interiors fully reflected the ingenuity and boldness of Soun's imagination. The decor motives were influenced by the architect's keen interest in antiquity and antiquities in general: here one could find "Egyptian" caryatids, "ancient Roman" and "Etruscan" paintings, etc. It was in the Pitzhanger estate that his collection of works of art and curiosities was housed, which now make up the collection of the Soane Museum in central London. He showed his valuable acquisitions to the students and guests of Pitskhenger Manor, not only surprising, but also enlightening them. From March 16, 2019, this educational function will return to the estate: after the completion of the restoration, a cultural and heritage center will open there, where it is planned to hold three major exhibitions a year: these will be personal exhibitions of works by contemporary artists, architects and designers, "shedding light" on John's legacy Souna. The first hero, Anish Kapoor, is connected with the architect of the Regency era by their common interest in the possibilities of mirrors and light for the illusory transformation of space.
Soun sold the estate in 1811 and moved his collection to the town house, where he eventually bequeathed to open the famous museum. After changing several owners, Pitzhanger was sold to the Ealing County Council in 1900 and in 1902, after restructuring and expansion, became a public library. Then a wing of the subscription was replaced in the 1930s (or in 1940) with the existing building, the greenhouse, various annexes, as well as park ruins - a fantasy on the theme of the Roman Forum - were demolished. Only in 1984 did the library leave the estate, and after the restoration of the building and the park in the 1990s, a museum and cultural center were opened there.
But at the beginning of the 21st century, despite this restoration, Pitskhenger still remained far from his state under Souna. In addition, despite the unique architecture and attractive park (named after the last owners Walpole Park), even the locals knew little about the estate: the number of visitors to the museum in 2015 was only 30,000. Therefore, with funds from the National Lottery Heritage Lottery Fund, the Arts Council of England, Ealing County and other organizations, the fund
The Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery Trust undertook a three-year restoration with a budget of £ 12 million. The project was sponsored by Jestico + Whiles and heritage specialists Julian Harrap Architects. The identification of the true color of the premises at the beginning of the 19th century was carried out by the company Hare & Humphreys (we wrote more about this practice in Britain here).
In the course of the work, the house and park were returned to the image of a "villa in the landscape", which was given to them by John Soane. The building, which has the status of a first-class monument, anticipates, for various reasons, the architect's key buildings - his London house (now a museum) and the Dulwich Art Gallery.
In the course of the work, the greenhouse and the central oculus window were restored, the library extension (now the exhibition halls) and the main building were reconnected, the original interior colors were restored, the hand-painted wallpaper in the Chinese spirit and the marble lining of the lobby were restored. In a walled vegetable garden (which has housed a rose garden since 1920), Jestico + Whiles built a Soane's Kitchen cafe-restaurant.
