Miss last night’s episode of Grand Designs: The Streets?
Here’s what you need to know…
In the first episode of the brand new series of Grand Designs: The Streets, presenter Kevin McCloud returns to Graven Hill to follow Carlos and Maite as they make their dream Spanish-inspired home a reality. Having always dreamed of building her own house, Graven Hill gave Maite a chance to create an individual home in a thriving new community.
Meet Carlos & Maite
What made you decide to build your own home?
We believe that a house is more than a shelter. It’s a space that allows you to express who you are… or not! Building your own home is a privilege because you get to create something that resonates with your values and your vision of the environment that can enhance your life. Home is a sanctuary, not just a building. Maite always had a dream to build her own house and loves designing spaces. This was her chance to shine and to grow as a person through the experience.
Why did you choose to build at Graven Hill?
The reality is, there are few places where you can find a plot because most of the property developers get there first. Also, the self-build package offered by Graven Hill comes with a degree of risk reduction because the infrastructure is already in place which reduces the chance of extra costs at the groundworks stage. We also believe in the vision to be part of a diverse community that wants to think outside the box and represent a model of community for others to follow and learn from.
What was your build process and what challenges did you need to overcome?
The build was a wooden-framed structure with steels for reinforcement. We had a winning combination between the architect, the builder and Maite. The biggest challenge we overcame was the dynamic between the pragmatic approach of the architect, the mindset of the builder and the ‘pushing the boundaries’ attitude of the designer…. There were disagreements but Carlos is a team coach and these skills came in use on many an occasion.
What are some key features of your home?
The two key elements of the house design were to maximise light and volume spaces. To achieve this we’ve used large window sizes, by folds throughout and a full void height extending from ceiling to floor over 1 had of the building. The mezzanine extending into the middle of the house allowed us to create the connectivity between all rooms and spaces. We used a metal worker/artisan for balcony rails and bannisters which brings strength and industry into the modern design. One of the boldest features was to use aluminium cladding on both front and back of the house to frame the large glass elements of the house.
Grand Designs: The Streets was first broadcast on Wednesday 13 April on Channel 4 at 9pm. If you’re interested in finding out more about Self-Build at Graven Hill, join us for our Self-Build Made Simple webinar on Tuesday 31 May and get the answers to all your questions and take the first steps towards your dream home.