39. The John Soane Museum
Sir John Soane's home and museum
Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London
Sir John Soane, most famous for building the Bank of England and Dulwich Picture Gallery including his own remarkable home in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, originally designed to house his collectables.
The neo-classical design was formed of three houses nestled within the terrace of existing regency houses and overlooking the gardens of Lincoln Inn Fields. The arched door and windows are equally proportioned with the loggias at first floor level infilled with glazing. The cladding is of distinct portland stone. The most famous spaces in the house are those to the rear – the Dome area, Colonnade and Museum Corridor. These spaces are ingeniously designed to be top lit, a feature he used in the design of the Bank of England.