OUT of Space

Brunelleschi’s duomo became an important symbol of Florentine power and pride. It also provided a secluded space for male homosexual encounters. Its attraction as a place for men to meet continued, to the extent that public access was banned in 1552. See link for more...

The writer and politician, Horace Walpole (1717-1796), 4th Earl of Orford, was a key patron of art and architecture. From 1747 to 1776, he collaborated with John Chute, Richard Bentley, and James Essex to create this Gothic Revival villa in Twickenham, south-west London.

Walpole described entering Strawberry Hill as evoking a sense of "gloomth"—a mix of gloom and warmth. He coined the term to capture the sombre, atmospheric mood he aimed to create in his "little Gothick castle," highlighting the unique ambience of the Gothic Revival interiors.

Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby chose to live together in Llangollen, Wales, defying societal norms. Their home, Plas Newydd ('new mansion' in Welsh), became a haven for artists and intellectuals. Their love story challenged the conventions of their time.

Interior spaces in the Arts & Crafts movement, such as Ashbee’s family home in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, have been discussed as sites of sexual freedom, where ‘respectable’ domestic life intersected with homosexual fellowship.

Writer and garden designer Vita Sackville-West had an open marriage with diplomat Harold Nicholson, and both had same-sex lovers. Their home, Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, became the backdrop to these romances, while its famed garden was a product of their creative collaboration over many years. 

Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf had a passionate love affair in the 1920s, inspiring Woolf's novel Orlando, a tribute to Vita. Their bond was deep, blending love and literary influence. Sissinghurst Castle, Vita's home, became a symbol of her creativity and romantic life.  

Bolton House was more than just a studio for Gluck, born Hannah Gluckstein, it was a place of self-discovery as a gender-fluid artist. Edward Maufe was commissioned to design a space to fulfil Gluck's artistic vision and provide a safe haven for exploring their gender identity.

Gerald Schlesinger and his partner, landscape architect Tunnard, commissioned architect Raymond McGrath to design their home. McGrath's design, commissioned in the 1930s, allowed the couple to live as bachelors, concealing their relationship in a time when homosexuality was illegal.

Architect, interior and furniture designer, sculptor and artist Max Clendinning (1924-2020) was one of the most enigmatic and intuitive creators of the British Post-war Modern movement.