Grand Designs - New Series
Discussion
Lovely build, quite a modest house beautifully realised. She was very lucky to know the right people to pull it all together - the open market price for a build like that would probably be much higher. The architect was remarkable for getting his hands dirty and getting it right. Many previous Grand Designs with architects as the builders didn't manage to achieve such a great result.
WinstonWolf said:
garyhun said:
Finished house was OK, nothing more.
I felt they could have created something so much better in such a large and open plot.
But that's just me
One word, planners...I felt they could have created something so much better in such a large and open plot.
But that's just me
Someone earlier said the house would have been better with a completely glass rear elevation. I'm sure one of the original architects ideas was very much along this line. It either changed due to cost implications, or there would have been too much glass preventing Code 6 being attainable or the planners just wanted what they felt she should have.
Having recently self-built, I'm fully aware of just how crazy the planners minds work at times.
garyhun said:
WinstonWolf said:
garyhun said:
Finished house was OK, nothing more.
I felt they could have created something so much better in such a large and open plot.
But that's just me
One word, planners...I felt they could have created something so much better in such a large and open plot.
But that's just me
Someone earlier said the house would have been better with a completely glass rear elevation. I'm sure one of the original architects ideas was very much along this line. It either changed due to cost implications, or there would have been too much glass preventing Code 6 being attainable or the planners just wanted what they felt she should have.
Having recently self-built, I'm fully aware of just how crazy the planners minds work at times.
They marked them down on the size of the bath, I'm amazed they didn't have to build it with wattle and daub 
Loved the board marked concrete. And the stack effect ventilation will be a nice thing - if it works. Would also have saved ££££ on the MVHR and associated ductwork. If it works.
Hated the house, though. It simply didn't relate to its context in any conceivable way. All this talk of viewing platforms that looked onto nothing in particular and a building itself that showed no sympathy to its surroundings.
Hated the house, though. It simply didn't relate to its context in any conceivable way. All this talk of viewing platforms that looked onto nothing in particular and a building itself that showed no sympathy to its surroundings.
Tuna said:
Lovely build, quite a modest house beautifully realised. She was very lucky to know the right people to pull it all together - the open market price for a build like that would probably be much higher. The architectarchitectural designer ie - still in training was remarkable for getting his hands dirty and getting it right. Many previous Grand Designs with architects as the builders didn't manage to achieve such a great result.
EFA.It was in his interest as it makes a great CV piece.
Magog said:
WinstonWolf said:
One word, planners...
I'm genuinely surprised they got it through planning in the first place.Quite liked the end result, but for a large sized two bedroom house (or was it three? thought I might have glimpsed a single bed upstairs on the CGI plans at the beginning) the build cost seemed remarkably high. I know it was all super-eco stuff, but there weren't any 'bells and whistles' (cinema rooms, zoned heating, fancy lighting etc) that seem to suck up huge amounts of budget.
boyse7en said:
Quite liked the end result, but for a large sized two bedroom house (or was it three? thought I might have glimpsed a single bed upstairs on the CGI plans at the beginning) the build cost seemed remarkably high. I know it was all super-eco stuff, but there weren't any 'bells and whistles' (cinema rooms, zoned heating, fancy lighting etc) that seem to suck up huge amounts of budget.
There was a third bedroom (called music room on the plans) behind the lounge.Excellent finished product. Loved the whole aspect of the design, and people partnerships that showed throughout the build. The way forward to avoid the obligatory mundane boxes that people seem to build, is the Eco house. As long as you stick to the ticking of the boxes, design seems limitless. Very clever thinking. I'm off to the GD show on friday.
deltaevo16 said:
Excellent finished product. Loved the whole aspect of the design, and people partnerships that showed throughout the build. The way forward to avoid the obligatory mundane boxes that people seem to build, is the Eco house. As long as you stick to the ticking of the boxes, design seems limitless. Very clever thinking. I'm off to the GD show on friday.
Actually it's the planning departments that are the key to exciting architecture.Many are afraid/reluctant to allow ambitious/creative/daring architecture so that architects know there is no point designing such buildings.
Where I am, in Poole, we have a very progressive planning department who have allowed a wide range of contemporary houses to be built alongside the more traditional styles. Examples:
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