Grand Designs: House of the year is a competition that includes a modern barn made of steel and concrete, an urban home on the scale of a London Tube carriage, and an unusual Scandi-Scottish bolthole at the lochside.
Tonight’s second episode of the series airs. Channel 4Kevin McCloud with his co-presenters Damion Burrows, an architect, and Michelle Ogundehin are invited to five stunning homes throughout the UK. They will be competing for a spot on the shortlist.
These houses excel at their material use. They are master craftsmen who take stone and wood, and then polish it until perfection.
Kevin stated that “Others look more like mad scientists who experiment with engineered steel and poured concrete.” They celebrate the beauty of these houses and not just let us know what they look like.
Among the startling inclusions are a family home in the Surrey Hills designed to bring delight to two brothers born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It is accessible for wheelchairs and the bedrooms have direct access to the backyard, which allows them to enjoy every moment of their lives.
A Victorian-style east London terrace home with Victorian architecture is brought back to life by a wood-clad extension. It blends traditional design and modernity.
Take a look at these five houses…
A modern barn. In tonight’s second program of the series, Kevin along with Damion Burrows, an architect, and Michelle Ogundehin were invited to visit five stunning homes. They battled it out for the final spot. Pictured, Wold’s Barn, by ID Architects, in Lincolnshire
Extension that is stylish: A wooden garden was added to the home’s longlist. This home, which was hidden from view behind an old Victorian property in East London, was also on the shortlist. Grain House was covered from head to tail in wood batons.
The final long listed property was the House for Theo & Oskar, in Surrey, which was designed by Tigg and Coll architects. Theo (11 years) and Oskar (eight years), both were born with Duchenne muscular disorder.
Urban house built on the same plot as a London Tube carriage
Slot House, a London property, was constructed in a gap of 2.8 meters between two homes. It was first on the list (pictured). This is a great example of compact living.
One of the most prominent homes on Long List was located in South London. There are many houses that have been stacked together so tightly you might think there is no room to build.
Michelle discovered Slot House in that tiny gap of 2.8 meters between two homes. It was built using a steel framework and an original steel staircase. Kevin called the home ‘as glamourous as it was clever.
Sandy and Sally Rendel were the husband-and-wife couple who built the house on small plots of land near their home.
They challenged themselves to make a viable home on a plot the size of a London Tube carriage.
Sandy explained that it is not a grand piece of architecture, but the reverse. It is just a tiny house. It’s a small house, but it shows that we have the ability to create value in such a limited space. There is also something to be proud of.
Sally stated, “It’s pleasant to be in.
She revealed that before the couple built on the space, there was ‘nothing there’, explaining: ‘It was an access route back and it never had a proper structure on it, definitely not a dwelling.’
The disused alleyway was purchased by the couple with plans permission to create a 3-bedroom family home.
Sandy explained that the land is not meant to be home to a large family. The idea was to determine the best level of development possible for the land.
Sally stated that they were repeatedly told by developers we were not developing enough. We really wanted to create something joyful, beautiful, and sustainable.
On the ground floor, there is a living and dining room that are double-height, and upstairs, there’s a bedroom and a bathroom.
You might assume that it is small, so you would expect to find shoebox-sized contents inside. Michelle says, “It’s so bigger and lighter than what you think.”
Sandy stated, “I believe moments where you can breath a bit more were what we wanted.”
The house had the materials exposed, which was a big win for RIBA judges. The timber joints were left unplastered and no plaster was applied to make the most out of each space.
A slimline steel frame was used to construct the home’s skeleton. This is another masterstroke.
Peter Laidler was the structural engineer. He explained that conventional wisdom for building a house is to use brick walls on each side. However, you would immediately lose half of a meter. Steel frames are crucial because they have only 77mm columns.
It was necessary to crane in the entire frame in sections that were just short of the gap.
Sandy stated that all connections are fully welded. The orientation of the steels is also shown, to get a few inches.
To minimise the structure, they fixed the staircase onto the steel structure too. Above the living room, the mezzanine studied was located upstairs.
You can save space by using brick slips outside the building. These brick slips are three times thinner than traditional bricks. These slips are made from clay and biscuit-fired, then glazed with gold glaze.
The construction of the house was completed in four years. Sandy and Sally managed to fit it into their daily lives.
Sally admitted that it was not always easy. She added: “It was pressured but we were there together so we could all share it.”
Modern barn made from concrete and steel
Wold’s Barn was designed by ID Architects in Lincolnshire. The top part was weathered steel. While the bottom was constructed from concrete with black cladding, (pictured).
The garage and plant rooms were located downstairs. On the other side of the hill was the large kitchen and dining room that took in the views (pictured: the kitchen).
The second house was found in rural Lincolnshire. There are numerous agricultural buildings all over the area, but this barn was not your typical rusty shed.
The top half of Wold’s Barn, by ID Architects, was made by weathering steel, while the bottom half was crafted from chunky concrete and black cladding. Henry and Jen are the owners of it. Jen is an engineer while Henry works as a financial analyst. Percy (the father) and Pippa, their youngest children, also live there.
Henry explained that the house where we had lived before was only a cottage in a nearby village. This was only a 2-up/2-down semi-detached cottage. It was something we knew from the beginning that we desired more. We also knew we would be having children so the house kinda…outgrew us.
The garage and plant rooms were located downstairs. On the other side of the hill was the large kitchen and dining room that took in the views.
There were also five additional bedrooms upstairs for guests and children.
Jen and Henry weren’t looking to create a grand house.
“That’s the thought we had when we met with the architect. It was thrown out of the water.
According to their architects, because the property is located in rural areas that are sensitive and fragile, they could only build new homes if they were of exceptional quality.
Henry said: ‘From the first meeting we had with them, they said, “You’ve got no chance of getting what you wanted through. They then said that they could take this route.
Kevin described the house as “remarkable” and added: “It’s the home of beautifully-crafted concrete.”
Constructing the barn took a lot of effort, as there wasn’t any chalk rock to prevent the structure from sinking in the ground.
Henry and his team were required to install 99 concrete support posts in the building. This cost the couple a quarter their budget. Michael Hogan (a local builder) was their contractor when building the above-ground structure. He admitted that he was anxious from the beginning.
It was an eye-opener, he said. It’s something we rarely see, and not in a house. This was very, very hard.
Michael stated that the most difficult part of their project was the actual concrete laying.
Scandi-Scottish lochside bolthole
Kyle House is located in the Highlands. It was designed by Groves-Raines Architects. The walls are rugged and have a slate roof. Locally quarried stones blend with the exquisitely crafted Danish Oak interior.
The design was clean and modern, with the kitchen, lounge, and bedroom downstairs. There is also a bathroom upstairs.
Next on the list was a property that formed an alliance with a nation across the North Sea.
Kyle House is located in the Highlands. It was designed by Groves-Raines Architects. The walls are rugged and have a slate roof. Locally quarried stones mix with an intricately crafted Danish Oak interior.
You can rent this eco-retreat in a chic setting. All proceeds go to the preservation of trees and ecology.
This layout had a simple but elegant design. There was a living room downstairs with a kitchen, and an upstairs bedroom and bathroom. It was an old, abandoned, and dark farmhouse with no windows that stood until recent years.
Damion also praised Gunner Groves–Raines the architect and said: Gunner, the building looks stunning from the outside. It’s rare to see a cottage or barn with a punched corner.
Gunner stated that the first thing Gunner looked at when opening up to the view was what it really felt like. The openings were carefully placed so that they are hidden by the natural landscape as we pass by. What you can see are the original openings at the top level, not the lower. It was important to us that the work we did here not stand out as anything too modern.
Damion described it as ‘incredible’ while Damion was inside.
Wall to wall, the kitchen featured Danish oak stained with butterfly joints and was surrounded by Danish oak. It was a huge investment that cost thousands and almost ended up in ruin when it arrived from Denmark.
Gunner said: ‘When the oak arrived actually, at some point on the way, it got transferred from the lorry into a smaller truck so it lost its covering. The rain had completely covered the oak by the moment it got here. That was quite scary. Thankfully our builder is a joiner by trade and he really understands what needed to happen to the timber to protect it. He saved almost all of it.
Judges from RIBA praised joinery and fine cabinetry. They also noted the attention to detail in the home, which includes a handmade staircase and doors that blend seamlessly into the wall.
Euan McCray, a lower-ranking builder built all of it. His words were: “We were a bit, well we were quite a lot, out of our comfort zones at the beginning to be fair. [It was]We have never seen a lot of these finishes and constructions before. It was very frustrating and a nightmare.
Euan and the rest of his team can now relax because their work is impeccable.
Wooden wonderland in London
This celebration of timber is accompanied by enthusiasm for other materials. For example, the couple chose to have lime plastered walls or worktops in Italian marble.
Next on the list was a wood wonderland hidden behind an east London Victorian house.
Grain House was covered from head to tail in wood batons. Some were in grimy black, others in natural weather.
The new extension was an assemblage of oak, fir and walnut. It had a wooden kitchen diner that connected to the living area, bedroom, and bathroom. The staircase wraps itself around a small courtyard at the other side of house.
Max, Lucy, and Sylvia, their five year-old daughter, live in the house. They explained that their passion for wood began at their wedding.
Lucy stated, “We were engaged in the forest. We got married in one part of the wood.” It does not mean the woods, which we love. The trees are our favorite thing. Max said, “We get a sense of tranquility from the wood in the house.”
Kevin stated, “Architects tend to reduce things to one type of wood. What you have done is blow up the choices.”
Lucy said, “We wanted to use woods differently. We wanted them in various sizes and with different grain.” It does actually work when it is put together.
Wood is celebrated, but the couple also celebrates other materials. They choose lime plastered walls with Italian marble worktops and limestone-plastered walls.
These materials were all thanks to Lucy who came to site every week and was intensely involved in the project.
Max stated that Lucy did a lot of research on materials. My memories are flooded with a variety of wall finishes and marble finishes. The builders were furious that you took too long picking the light switches. The final finishing touch was difficult to pick.
Lucy wanted to find the finest craftsman and so she commissioned Sebastian Cox, a wood wizard, for her kitchen.
It was their great ambition to create a beautiful house.
According to the architect, there was a lot of debate about whether or not it should be done. It’s a waste of valuable square meters that you are turning into outside spaces. Square meters is not the problem. And salability isn’t the major issue. This is about giving people the space they desire to live.
In order to transform the Victorian semi into an elegant space, stairs were removed. They spent nine months working on the project, which cost them thousands of pounds. Three days later, the pipe burst and almost destroyed their home.
Lucy stated, “I was awoken at three in the morning and assumed that our daughter had switched on the water supply.” It was a lot of water that I found at my feet, so I ran to it. The ceiling had a large hole and the water was just falling down. The water had gotten to the ground through the hole.
Max said that Max thought the disaster was terrible and they would have to evacuate. However, it was quickly cleaned up.
Bungalow with high canopy roof for disabled children
The final long listed property was in the Surrey Hills, with Michelle visiting the House for Theo & Oskar, which was designed by Tigg and Coll architects
The final long listed property was in the Surrey Hills, with Michelle visiting the House for Theo & Oskar, which was designed by Tigg and Coll architects.
While from the front, it appeared like any bungalow on the street, the back of the property had been transformed with a soaring wooden canopy roof which reaches out 11metres from out into the garden and into the house.
It brings delight and joy to Theo, 10, and Oskar, eight, who were both born with a rare genetic disease called Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
They live here with their four-year-old brother Lucas and parents Nick and Clara.
Nick stated: “For us, Theo and Oskar with their disease and trying to get the best out of every day, the house symbolizes the possibility.”
“What happens to a Duchenne boy is that the muscles gradually lose their strength. They will be fully dependent on a wheelchair by the age of 11-12. They will probably be using a ventilator by the age of 18. They usually die around their mid-20s.
Clara stated, “So we try to enjoy the happiness and pleasure of living every day.
An extension that is fully accessible for wheelchairs was built on the existing house. Theo’s and Oscar’s rooms open onto the gardens.
In the background is Lucas’ bedroom, and a playroom.
The garden room and the family room are connected by a corridor, where grown-ups can have their private sitting rooms.
Clara and Nick wanted their boys to feel free, but not institutional.
The idea of a roof which had the feel of a treehouse with a leaf canopy was suggested by husband and wife architect David Tigg and Rachael Coll.
David commented, “This design is about how we relate to our garden.”
“The trees surrounding us and the whole of nature. It provides shelter, the sun shines through it during high season, and it gives shade in winter. It provided a safe place for boys to play.
Rachael said: ‘The way the structure works is you do have these trunks and then this canopy, floating, above.’
Michelle stated that the structure is massive and feels natural.
David commented, “We had lots of fun with engineers working on this problem. How can it be fragile but so strong?
The design needed to be strong to support the hoists and slings that Theo and Oskar will need in the future.
Rachael stated: “It’s about following the idea through moving from within to outside and eliminating all barriers.”
The boys will be connected even if they aren’t mobile anymore. There is a level floor and a wide doorway for them to use for their wheelchairs.
However, the cost of adapting the house was prohibitive. Nick started a crowdfunding campaign in an effort to raise funds but failed to reach his goal.
Peter McCall was a partner in a friend and worked as a property developer.
Peter said: ‘When I took it forward to my CEO – he has five kids, three sons and I have three sons- you just look at this family and ourselves and…there, for the grace of god, goes any of us. We should all try and do what we can.
The company not only provided expert staff on-site for no cost, but also reached out to all suppliers and asked if they were willing to help.
Peter stated that: “All of them stood and said, “Absolutely. If you need help, let us know what you require.” No one was surprised and it was quite surprising.
Nick, Clara, as well as the boys, lived in the log cabin located at the bottom the garden’s base during construction.
Nick acknowledged that it was hard. He said: “There were difficult times. There were five of us and an outdoor toilet. We thought, in quiet despair, “Please hurry up!”
However he added it had all been worth it, saying: ‘It achieved what we hoped it would achieve, an environment for Theo and Oskar to thrive in.’
Clara added: ‘When we see Theodore laughing with his arm in a sling or in a wheelchair, feeling confident – it’s great for what we have. It’s been very fortunate to be unlucky.
Michelle added: “This building is a testament to the power and possibility of architecture. It combines determination, ingenuity, compassion.