At Michael Limb Builders, we’ve painstakingly poured through hours and hours of the television series, Grand Designs, to bring you our favourite 5 examples of great home construction.
It just so happens that Grand Designs is actually our favourite show, because come on, who doesn’t love great design presented with smooth, subtly-judgmental tones of Kevin McCloud?
5. The Miniature Hollywood Mansion (2013)
To set the scene, a husband and wife happen upon a forgotten, misshaped plot of land in busy London suburbia. Rather than dismissing this overgrown site as too small, they make the site work for their needs- burrowing six metres below ground for a subterranean floor and utilising every inch of valuable land through ingenious design.
This project, demonstrates a situation where opportunity meets appropriate design.
4. The Scandinavian House (2010)
This is a project that would inspire young designers everywhere. Here we find a hard-working young female interior designer, Kathryn, who similarly to the previous project, makes her site works for her needs. In addition to making the most of her site, Kathryn the design junkie, makes the most of her limited budget by penny-pinching on unseen, unsung structural members of her design, for example the recycled bricks (that were later painted white) which encase the home’s Living room.
Kathryn nails her first venture into architecture and is a great example of quality design on a budget.
3. The Derelict Water Tower (2012)
The word ‘renovation’ doesn’t quite do this London-based project justice. Renovation, a word of Latin origins, means ‘to make new’. Renovation only covers about 50% of this project’s description. This episode sees a Grade 2 heritage-listed structure (in basic English, a heavily protected structure) where Charlie Chaplin had once lived, revived from the 19th century!
This episode follows the journey of two brave homeowners, Leigh and Graham, as they fight through the red tape of heritage-listed construction. It’s a notable example of renovation done right as it revives and pays homage to the past but clearly delineates the new, modern attachment through stark material contrasts.
The restoration of this structure, and indeed all derelict buildings is of huge importance to the built environment as they represent the precious history of past societies- this is how our great great grandparents lived!
2. The Eco Arch (2009)
This residential project that marries architectural beauty with engineering brilliance- it’s all about pushing the boundaries. Here we follow Richard (the architect) and his wife Sophie boldly go where many dare not- the edge of construction possibility! Imagine building an arched rooftop of small, rectangular tiles. Not only are these tiles straight (non-curved like the arched roof) but have all the brittle strength of terracotta. Now imagine hand-laying these tiles systematically atop one another, essentially weaving them whilst being sure to do so in a fashion that evenly spreads the load or else it’ll collapse…
Sound like a financially-risky nightmare? Well this couple lived that nightmare and the result is a breathtaking illustration of a home that traverses theoretical calculations into a tangible, real-life wonder. A must see.
1. The Woodsman’s Cottage (2003)
As builders we will always respect fine craftsmanship. However as builders we will also envy this episode’s protagonist, Ben. A woodsman in every sense of the word, Ben lives in the woods and professionally works with the materials of his environment.
For 10 years Ben lived and worked in a tiny shed on a few acres in the forest. However his living situation changes when he found himself a wife and begins a family- Ben finds himself needing a bigger house. What does a true woodsman do in this situation? He heads out into his surroundings, finds himself two massive oak trees required for an A-Frame structure, clads this structure with the timber he finds (and shapes), before then making thousands of timber roof shingles to cap it all off.
This project takes a proactive craftsman and throws him in a situation of need. Equipped with an abundance of medieval building know-how, Ben produces a family home with a lot of love…..and a lot of wood, did we mention wood? Wood.
