Grand Designs Handbooks: The Blueprint for Building Your Dream Home

TV'sarchitectureanddesignguruKevinMcCloudshareshispassionandexpertiseinthisbrilliantguidetodesigningandbuildingyourownhome,illustratedwiththemostmemorablehousesfromtheaward-winningChannel4series.ThebookgoeswaybeyondtheconfinesoftheusualTVtie-in.Overthe11yearsthatGrandDesignshasbeenonourscreens,Kevinhashadplentyofopportunitytoformulatehisownstrongviewsonwhatmakestrulybrilliantarchitecture.Forthefirsttimehecansharethoseviewsfully,showingthat‘housestoocanbearchitecture’andgivinganyaspiringself-builderthemaximumnumberoftoolstoensurethattheirvisionbecomesreality,withtheminimumamountofheartachealongtheway.Throughthreemainsections–‘Thinking’,‘Dreaming’and‘Doing’–heguidesyouthrougheachstageoftheself–buildprocess,fromworkingoutwhatyoureallywant,tofindingaplot,obtainingplanningpermission,commissioningandbriefingarchitectsandbuilders,andimplementingthebuilditself.Structuredaroundfundamentallocations–urban,suburbanandrural–KevinpresentshisowncompendiumofhousesfromacrosstheUKwhichhefindsexcitingandexemplary.SomeofthemostsuccessfulprojectsfromtheTVseriesarefeatured,includingMontyRavenscroft’sinnovativehouseinPeckhamwithitsretractableroof,areinventedviolinfactoryinWaterloo,aconvertedbarninRoss–on–Wye,aspectacularloch-sidehouseontheClydeestuaryandaglasspaviliononabeachnearExeter.AsKevinsays,‘Greenisnolongeraweirdcolourtobe’andrunningthroughoutthebookisthethemeofsustainablebuildingandhowtoachieveit–notassomeminorityissueonlyofinteresttothosewhoknittheirownsofasbutassomethingwhichisincreasinglycentraltohowwewilldesign,buildandliveinourhomes.Passionateandopinionated,thisbookisalwayshighlyreadableandengaging.Foranyonewhocaresaboutdesignandforeveryonewhohaseverthoughtaboutbuildingtheirownhomeitisessentialandtrulyinspiringreading.