Grand Designs 8/4
Discussion
Noone else seems to have commented on this, or at least if they have I can't find it, so I'll throw in my pennyworth.
First of all - they fooled us - there was no Grand Designs last week so we thought the series was finished - however there it was large as life again last night.
I said on the 'real estate porn' thread that if anyone was planning a 'barrow boy made good uber-pile' they should post on here first to get some help. Last night's programme demonstrated why that won't happen. Someone who has accumulated the cash to build something like that cannot conceive that someone else could do a better job designing houses than them. It's odd that, because they wouldn't think about doing their own plumbing or electrical installation any more than they would try to build their own Porsche. But naturally, they can design their own house.
Furthermore, your self-made millionaire of that type anyway, is going to employ an architect who will nod when he says black is white and will just do exactly as he is told. His Patron has probably seen one or two nice details in houses, magazines or trade shows, has worked out how they are done, and reckons that is all you need to know. He's an artist. Sure he is. It's not difficult to get that sort of, er, well s
te frankly, past the planners because they love everything modern white strange and 'sustainable' 
(If you don't believe me take a look at the site which Knight Frank are selling near Maidstone with planning consent for a 'Flow House'. The drawings of the house are there to see and it is so fking sustainable it is probably unbuildable at any sensible cost and thereafter a maintenance nightmare. But hey! Unfortunately for them they have commenced development, probably neutralising the value of their site. That is however another story.)
Right then, off they go and design a weird looking 'avant garde' box which they consider to be modern because it is in a style popularised by Le Corbusier about 90 years ago. What they have done, however, as Kevin so acutely pointed out, is come up with a wonky shape and then thought, 'Cor Blimey! Now how do we fit some rooms into this'. Answer, very awkwardly, with loads of wasted space, and embarrassing unresolved problems all over the shop. There is a 'Pod' on top which is a modern device which has been fashionable for 10 years or so. It's not modern at all, it is a Victorian detail dressed up as modernity, as it happens, but Jubbly Bubbly, bang it in!
They are a decent couple, even if they have got carried away. He hasn't learned much from his heart attack by the looks of things, and she will be devastated if he turns his toes up which imho he is at risk of doing. However, if you were rich in years gone by you got Vanbrugh or Adam, Kent, Playfair, Blore, Burn, Barry, Shaw, Lutyens or whoever, a demonstrable expert, to design your house, and you have something to be proud of. Now it's 'Bugger that, Trevor, Bish, Bosh, Bash and Bob's your Uncle'. And you end up with something that a drug fuelled Sheik might have commissioned on a whim for a member of his harem. There are a few of them on the Thames down Chelsea Harbour way. It can only be described as gopping. OK he has 'realised his dream'. It's 'a heroic effort'. Yes, but I'm afraid that just isn't enough.
Plus, I am going to write to Kev, because I am truly fed up with the way he never really shows the context in which the house is going to be built.
First of all - they fooled us - there was no Grand Designs last week so we thought the series was finished - however there it was large as life again last night.
I said on the 'real estate porn' thread that if anyone was planning a 'barrow boy made good uber-pile' they should post on here first to get some help. Last night's programme demonstrated why that won't happen. Someone who has accumulated the cash to build something like that cannot conceive that someone else could do a better job designing houses than them. It's odd that, because they wouldn't think about doing their own plumbing or electrical installation any more than they would try to build their own Porsche. But naturally, they can design their own house.
Furthermore, your self-made millionaire of that type anyway, is going to employ an architect who will nod when he says black is white and will just do exactly as he is told. His Patron has probably seen one or two nice details in houses, magazines or trade shows, has worked out how they are done, and reckons that is all you need to know. He's an artist. Sure he is. It's not difficult to get that sort of, er, well s
te frankly, past the planners because they love everything modern white strange and 'sustainable' (If you don't believe me take a look at the site which Knight Frank are selling near Maidstone with planning consent for a 'Flow House'. The drawings of the house are there to see and it is so fking sustainable it is probably unbuildable at any sensible cost and thereafter a maintenance nightmare. But hey! Unfortunately for them they have commenced development, probably neutralising the value of their site. That is however another story.)Right then, off they go and design a weird looking 'avant garde' box which they consider to be modern because it is in a style popularised by Le Corbusier about 90 years ago. What they have done, however, as Kevin so acutely pointed out, is come up with a wonky shape and then thought, 'Cor Blimey! Now how do we fit some rooms into this'. Answer, very awkwardly, with loads of wasted space, and embarrassing unresolved problems all over the shop. There is a 'Pod' on top which is a modern device which has been fashionable for 10 years or so. It's not modern at all, it is a Victorian detail dressed up as modernity, as it happens, but Jubbly Bubbly, bang it in!
They are a decent couple, even if they have got carried away. He hasn't learned much from his heart attack by the looks of things, and she will be devastated if he turns his toes up which imho he is at risk of doing. However, if you were rich in years gone by you got Vanbrugh or Adam, Kent, Playfair, Blore, Burn, Barry, Shaw, Lutyens or whoever, a demonstrable expert, to design your house, and you have something to be proud of. Now it's 'Bugger that, Trevor, Bish, Bosh, Bash and Bob's your Uncle'. And you end up with something that a drug fuelled Sheik might have commissioned on a whim for a member of his harem. There are a few of them on the Thames down Chelsea Harbour way. It can only be described as gopping. OK he has 'realised his dream'. It's 'a heroic effort'. Yes, but I'm afraid that just isn't enough.
Plus, I am going to write to Kev, because I am truly fed up with the way he never really shows the context in which the house is going to be built.
Edited by cardigankid on Thursday 9th April 09:07
It was a great idea for a programme, and at least it is a cut above the 'Relocation, Relocation' or 'Property Virgins' sort of chewing gum TV. But maybe they are just running out of people to do genuinely ambitious and innovative stuff, so they are left with the next millionaire builds his dream house...
Edited by cardigankid on Thursday 9th April 11:27
Roo said:
You did have to wonder if his mates call him lucky.
There was a lot that was good about the design but, unfortunately, a lot that was bad. The aforementioned square rooms in a curved building.
I did like his attitude about having the Duke on the wall though. She said there was no way he was having two bikes in the house so he took that to mean he could have one. What with that and the Aston he's obviously a bit of a petrolhead.
What was good about the design?There was a lot that was good about the design but, unfortunately, a lot that was bad. The aforementioned square rooms in a curved building.
I did like his attitude about having the Duke on the wall though. She said there was no way he was having two bikes in the house so he took that to mean he could have one. What with that and the Aston he's obviously a bit of a petrolhead.
I liked the bike, I have to admit. I would have gone a step further and had a garage with raised floor and a glass wall to the living area so he could not only have had the bike on display but ridden it as well, along with his Aston and anything else he has tucked away.(A bit like Ulrich Bez, who has a 993 on display in his lounge. Good Man.)
Good luck to him, I don't decry his enthusiasm - I just think he was going in the wrong direction.
By the way Shirt, you should post a link to your company if that is permissible on here. Pilkington's are a walking disaster area, promise the earth and don't deliver which is sad for what I believe is still a British company. They were the first into Planar Glass some decades back which gave them the impression that they had the world at their feet, then they didn't bother their arses unless they were promised an international airport on their laps. I have been through exactly the same experience of developing a project with them to then be told it's too small, we won't do it. They simply cannot organise themselves to provide customer service. It's like dealing with the old British Steel.
Could you get supplies from Solaglas or St. Gobain?
Good luck to him, I don't decry his enthusiasm - I just think he was going in the wrong direction.
By the way Shirt, you should post a link to your company if that is permissible on here. Pilkington's are a walking disaster area, promise the earth and don't deliver which is sad for what I believe is still a British company. They were the first into Planar Glass some decades back which gave them the impression that they had the world at their feet, then they didn't bother their arses unless they were promised an international airport on their laps. I have been through exactly the same experience of developing a project with them to then be told it's too small, we won't do it. They simply cannot organise themselves to provide customer service. It's like dealing with the old British Steel.
Could you get supplies from Solaglas or St. Gobain?
Edited by cardigankid on Thursday 9th April 12:26
Roo said:
cardigankid said:
What was good about the design?
I liked the fact that he was prepared to take on a site a lot of developers would have walked away from and make the most of it. Excavate a lot of the site to create the basement etc.If he had managed to stick to the original idea of curved glass for the windows I think the overall appearance would have been much better as it would've looked less office like.
As has been said though, he's an artist not an architect which is why I don't think it worked as an overall package.
In fairness to Barry from Brighton it didn't look as if his house would slide anywhere.
Edited by cardigankid on Thursday 9th April 13:39
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