About

Join AVM Curiosities for a multi-sensory exploration of Two Temple Place, delving into the layered histories of the building and celebrating the craftsmanship at the heart of this stunning neo-Gothic mansion.

Two Temple Place was commissioned by and built for William Waldorf Astor as his London Estate Office. Astor emigrated to England from America in 1891 as, arguably, the richest man in the world, and he spared no expense when work began on Two Temple Place in 1892. Completed in 1895, the building provides us with a vivid narrative of Astor’s life and the endeavour of the remarkable craftspeople who shaped it. It was originally designed by one of the foremost neo-Gothic architects of the late 19th century, John Loughborough Pearson, who in turn employed some of the best craftspeople of the day, including George Frampton, Nathaniel Hitch, Thomas Nicholls and William Silver Frith, to work on the fantastical and opulent decoration.

AVM Curiosities has been exploring the relationship between art and the senses through a series of events, installations and interventions since 2011. Founded by award-winning food historian Tasha Marks, AVM Curiosities champions the use of fragrance, sound and flavour as artistic mediums.