Design Originals

The New Grand Designs Eco House

This week on the popular TV program, ‘Grand Designs’ a beautiful house in Kent was featured. This house is near Staplehurst, Kent and is owned and built by architect Richard Hawkes and his wife Sophie. The house itself does not rely on much. For example it doesnt even need mains water or central heating. Instead the house itself is completely eco friendly and does not use an ounce of un-necessary energy. The environmentally-friendly house aims to mix into its surroundings and be self-sustaining. It was featured on a double bill on the popular Channel 4 program, ‘Grand Designs’ hosted by the legendary Kevin McCloud.
The house itself in Kent features completely economical and eco friendly materials such as wood and even earth. The house boats a truly unique kitchens and has over four guest bedroom for friends and family to stay over.
The design originally resembles an Anderson Shelter, the building eventually reveals a huge, Gaudi-esque vaulted roof which is just magnificent to look at. The whole thing is literally topped off with tons of soil and then grassed over to look almost like an ancient house of some sort. It is truly marvellous to look at and at the same time it is extremely bizarre.  The home is effectively a couple of timber-framed boxes resting under a huge, unsupported arch built from 26,000 handmade clay tiles. This is truly a magnificent acheivment for both the architects and constructor’s as there is nothing else like this around. They have built something special and very interesting. Although the house is meant to be quite old fashioned the house consists of modern items such as contemporary kitchens.
If you have never watched Grand Design before I would highly recommend it. The program makes excellent viewing and you can see all sorts of bizarre houses that have sprouted up around the UK and abroad. There are some great housing and design projects on there and I would strongly recommend watching it one evening.

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