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Grand Designs NZ S10E02 Tauranga Hilltop

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00:00There, Spot, there's a good girl, eh?
00:03All right, then.
00:04Let's see what you got.
00:08Spot, roll over.
00:10Oh, come on, Spot.
00:13This is a bit embarrassing.
00:15Spot, come on, roll over.
00:17Come on, Spot.
00:18Spot!
00:21Old dogs, new tricks,
00:23according to that well-known saying, it can't be done.
00:26Which, er, is a bit cruel on old people, isn't it?
00:28And dogs.
00:30Maybe we have a tendency to stick to the things we know we do best,
00:35no matter what age we are.
00:37But equally, there's no time like the present, is there?
00:44Good girl, Spot.
00:46Well, that's better.
00:47So here's another phrase for you.
00:50Don't die wandering.
00:52Come on, Spot.
01:17Tauranga, in the Western Bay of Plenty, has long been one of New Zealand's fastest-growing cities.
01:23A striking coastal location.
01:26And about 20 kilometres inland, is the rural settlement of Fakamaramar.
01:32Home to Robert and Bryony Cross.
01:36It's just ever-changing, wasn't it?
01:39Just such a beautiful view.
01:40The couple and their two young children emigrated from the UK in 2006,
01:46and quickly settled on a 30 hectare lifestyle block.
01:50However, it wasn't quite the experience they expected.
01:54We found a house that just happened to have an orchard.
01:59We were as green as the kiwifruit.
02:02And we were told, well, it doesn't take much to do.
02:06Major, major learning curve.
02:10Kiwifruit farming was, however, just another twist in their diverse and unconventional careers.
02:17Robert worked widely in the cement industry, and the couple also managed rest homes,
02:23and even owned an art gallery in the UK.
02:26Bryony spent her childhood in India, where her father was a tea taster and buyer,
02:31before her life took an unexpected turn.
02:37This was my first ever picture.
02:39I didn't know what I was doing.
02:42At 19, she became a fashion model, working all over the world.
02:48That one was in Israel.
02:50This was in Thailand, this one.
02:52Went to Japan a couple of times.
02:54Yeah, you look so young.
02:56Yes, I do.
02:58Can't remember looking like that.
03:03Daughter Emma is an accountant in Sydney,
03:05and son Freddie is a graduate architect in Wellington.
03:10So, with an empty nest, Robert and Bryony decided the time was right
03:15to build their forever home on a section next to their kiwifruit farm.
03:20This house is for us, it's for nobody else.
03:24The project ignited Robert's long-standing passion for architecture.
03:29So much so, he decided to design the new house himself.
03:33For that, though, he had to go back to school.
03:37I think I inquired when I was 60 to become an architecture designer,
03:43and I did say to the lady,
03:45look, I'm probably going to be older than most of the teachers.
03:49And I was.
03:50And I thought, it's probably time.
03:52I've got plenty of time to do it.
03:54Why not give it a go?
03:56Robert graduated with a diploma in architectural technology.
04:00Encouragement for Freddie to take up architecture himself.
04:03And now, the two of them work together on the new design.
04:08It definitely gets us talking whenever I come home.
04:11It's always about the house and always talking about the house.
04:14Rather than having these two doors here, we could have a pivot door.
04:18There's been a couple questionable kind of things he's done from the house.
04:22I try to push him away from that as much as I can, but I mean, it's his house.
04:28And very much Robert's vision, one in the style of the minimalist modern architecture that's been a long-time inspiration.
04:37I've probably been designing it for 14 years, so hopefully I've got it right.
04:50I'd rather like this peaceful, fertile little valley.
04:54Clearly very good for growing kiwi fruit.
04:57Let's hope it's the same for growing a house.
05:02Hello, hello.
05:03Hello.
05:04You're on the plateau here, aren't you?
05:06Absolutely, yes.
05:07More or less 360-degree views.
05:09This is why we chose the section.
05:12Yeah.
05:12And it's the best one on our old farm, really.
05:15Primo spot.
05:16Yes, indeed.
05:19So the house is 322 square metres.
05:23And then at the garage block, with a 60 square metre flat above for hopefully one of the children.
05:30Well, that's almost a decent-sized house just in there.
05:33It is, yes.
05:34Yeah.
05:36What we're going to have is a big art gallery, because we've got a lot of paintings.
05:40We used to have a very small art gallery in the UK, and most of it's still sitting in boxes,
05:45but we will have the space to put all our art up, hopefully.
05:49So pretty central to the house.
05:51That's the first thing you'll see.
05:52The first thing you'll see.
05:53On this high, wide, windy site, the modernist-inspired house embodies what Robert calls comfortable minimalism.
06:02At the back, a two-vehicle garage includes the laundry and opens onto a services porch.
06:08Adjacent, the master ensuite includes a bath with a direct line of sight to Mount Monganui.
06:13A long walk-in wardrobe and large master bedroom sit next door to the home office, complete with fold-away
06:20bed.
06:21Round to the main entrance, a three metre high, pivoting steel front door opens into a covered entry.
06:28Then, through glass doors, to the foyer gallery, showcasing the couple's art collection.
06:34Turn left to the expansive open-plant living space, including a substantial covered patio.
06:42A gas fire warms the family room and huge sliding doors make the most of the views and the sun.
06:50Beyond the dining space, the kitchen features black joinery, stainless steel tops and a hidden scullery.
06:56Then, onto a separate lounge and outside to the open evening patio.
07:01Off the lounge and down a hallway, an ensuite and a walk-in wardrobe leading to the guest bedroom in
07:08prime view position.
07:11The wide eaves offer summer shade and winter warmth.
07:15While the clean horizontal lines and flat roof, edged with parapet walls, are distinctive elements of the modernist architecture Robert
07:22so respects.
07:23Now, finally, he's incorporated them into his and Bryony's forever home.
07:32The more I'm here, the more I love this place.
07:35This is the final house that you've built before.
07:37Yes.
07:38We're not building as an investment.
07:40This is the final one.
07:41So, we've gone to an awful lot of thought about creating a house that gives us exactly what we want.
07:47Yeah.
07:48Robert, certainly, you know, it's been his dream to build the perfect house.
07:54And he can visualise far better than I can.
07:57So, he knows, you know, every inch of it.
08:03Are you two perfectionists?
08:05I can reach a compromise, but I'd rather not.
08:10And so, if I have an idea, I'd like to see it through as much as possible.
08:19So, when will you be living here?
08:22Hopefully.
08:23What's Robert told you?
08:25Well, the projected time is 50 weeks.
08:28But, you know, that could obviously change with weather.
08:33We're coming into winter.
08:35But, so we, I mean, we hope to be in this time next year.
08:39What will you spend on this, ideally?
08:42Ideally, two and a half million.
08:44For the house and the shed?
08:46And the shed, both together.
08:48And you smile as if you know more than me, which you probably do.
08:53There's a lot of floor area here.
08:55Yeah, there is, yes.
08:56But we shall see.
08:57I mean, who knows?
08:59Well, I mean, you're right.
09:01And if you were a first builder, you wouldn't know.
09:04But, of course, you do know a little bit about how things go.
09:07I know enough to be dangerous.
09:09Yeah, okay.
09:15It feels like we're about to witness the final act
09:19in a truly cinematic setting.
09:22And the backstory?
09:23Well, a couple who've lived here for years,
09:26refining and defining and discovering
09:29the ultimate version of that.
09:31And so, how will this play out?
09:34Will it be a Shakespearean tragedy?
09:38Will it be a comedy of errors?
09:40Or maybe, just maybe, this will be a happy Hollywood forever after.
09:52Robert worked with Tauranga-based John McAlpine on an earlier renovation,
09:57and needed John's expertise again,
09:59especially with the expansive, modernist-inspired flat roof.
10:04John fine-tuned a lot of the detail to help Robert get his design across the line.
10:09I would love to say that, between Robert and myself,
10:13it's been basically a 50-50 split, you know?
10:15Like, look, Robert knew exactly what he wanted,
10:18but it's our job to challenge those ideas
10:22and to throw something else in the mix as well.
10:29I've found in the past that a fit of design knowledge is actually really good,
10:34but what I feel that owners need to understand more
10:37and what we need to bring into it is more about budgeting and stuff like that.
10:41To make those dreams practical, buildable.
10:44Exactly. That's what we all want.
10:45Exactly. Because, look, at the end of the day, anything's achievable,
10:47but how big's your bank balance, you know?
10:51Although John counts Robert as a personal friend,
10:54he'll still be keeping a close eye on what he's up to.
11:00Robert knows what he wants.
11:02So he'll go up on site and he might say,
11:04I want to do it like this now, I want to change for that.
11:07So changes.
11:08Those are the things you've got to possibly keep on top of.
11:11That's the thing to watch for. Correct.
11:13Got you. Correct.
11:14Because any change is, you know, is time and money.
11:17Yeah. But he knows that too.
11:18Yes, he does. Yeah. Yeah.
11:20Would he have made a good architect?
11:23Yeah. Yes, he would have. Yes, he would have.
11:31An early start in Whakamarama.
11:33And after 14 years of planning, a very big day ahead.
11:41Oh, God, absolutely, finally we started.
11:45It is a massive relief after such a long time.
11:49And finally we can at last see some concrete go down.
11:52Amazing day. Yeah.
11:54And a beautiful day too.
12:01There's no pulling out now till we're, till we're in.
12:05Touch when everything goes okay, so.
12:07Yeah.
12:08A successful slab board depends on an unimpeded supply.
12:12But with the final section still to go, the last concrete trucks are nowhere to be seen.
12:22We just have to sit and wait for when the trucks roll up, but they apparently are on their way.
12:27So we'll keep our fingers crossed.
12:31It's a small hiccup, sure.
12:34But no doubt the first of many challenges, big and small, Robert will face during the build of his self
12:41-designed home.
12:42At one point he was very reluctant to even get going because he thought, oh, it's going to be too
12:47expensive.
12:48You know, are we going to be staying here and, you know, all the, all the doubts that were coming
12:53in.
12:54And myself and our, and our two children said that, come on, you've got to do it.
12:58You've got to do it. You'll always regret it.
13:00And if you don't, it'll be like an itch that doesn't go away.
13:09Better late than never, I guess, for Robert and the concrete.
13:14But with two and a half million dollars on the line, a lot of expectations and a nagging question.
13:21Just how dangerous could a little knowledge prove to be?
13:37July 2024 at Fakumarama in the Bay of Plenty and Robert and Bryony Cross's new house build is racing along.
13:44Next to the garage and accommodation block, which Robert casually calls the shed.
13:49In the main house, though, the builders are standing up the framing.
13:54Brace it, plumb it, get it all sitting right.
13:58Just a few weeks later, it's time for installation of the structural beams, important elements in the design.
14:11One of the main features of the house is the ranch slider on the front, which is over 10 metres
14:15long, and that particular area is supported by these steel beams.
14:18So visually, that'll start to form the front of the house.
14:23Truen's fully prepared for the rain to last all day. In fact, as a long-time local, he knows it
14:29will.
14:30I've lived up in Fakumarama for the last 20 years, and when we first moved here, we were told it
14:34was the wettest region in Tauranga during the month of August.
14:37So here we are. Welcome to August.
14:44Modernist homes famously feature high, wide spans and lots of glass, needing substantial structural support.
14:54Robert's design doesn't hide the necessary steel columns, but there is a risk of them interrupting that expansive view.
15:07To be honest, I didn't realise how much steel there was in the job.
15:10I thought there were only three or four bits of steel, but there seems to be about six or seven
15:13there.
15:14So, all good. All good. I'm sure everything will be fine.
15:19Other structural designs might have minimised those columns, but that would have required the beams to be much more substantial
15:25and therefore expensive.
15:27So all in all, Robert's happy with the solution he's arrived at.
15:31I've had it in my mind's eye for a long time, so I know exactly what it's going to look
15:35like.
15:36But when it comes to the reality of it, it's a totally different sort of thing, and you can see
15:42it happening.
15:44Getting the steel in is often a stressful time for builders.
15:48They have to pray everything fits, because otherwise it can get messy.
15:53Measurements are still working out, and it's starting to stake shape.
15:58Nothing has to be cut with an angle grinder or a chainsaw just yet.
16:05As well as the house itself, work is continuing on the garage and apartment right next door.
16:10Here too, Robert has carefully considered every detail.
16:16I was very concerned that this level of the apartment here was going to be the right height to be
16:22able to see over the top of the house.
16:25And the parapet wall just went in this week, and I'm delighted to say you can still see the mount.
16:32And that was a big worry for me, and we've obviously got it right, so I'm very pleased.
16:44It's clear to see now, with the house taking form, Robert's influence by Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier.
16:51And for me, the strongest influence is Mies van der Erre.
16:54This house here, the Farnsworth house, all glass and steel, beautiful, modern.
17:00Or is it?
17:02See, these early houses were really pushing the boundaries of what you could do.
17:06And this house here, Le Corbusier's great classic, 1931, Villa Savoy.
17:11Well, frankly, it had issues, and it leaked like a sieve.
17:16Enemy number one was the flat roof.
17:17I mean, we have letters from the client, Madame Savoy, saying that,
17:22it's raining in my house, it's raining in the service quarters, it's raining in the bathroom.
17:26I mean, that was a new house.
17:28Not so good.
17:30And that's the big test, isn't it?
17:31The builders have to get that membrane roof exactly right.
17:36Otherwise, we know from almost a hundred years of modernist home history, what could well go wrong.
17:50Into October, and time to carefully install the critical membrane roof.
17:57Some of the aspects of this build are not necessarily what we would encourage in the building industry,
18:02when it comes to membrane roofs, parapet walls, internal gutters.
18:06Robert and Bryony, especially Robert, was adamant that he liked the look of the big facades and the faces on
18:10the front,
18:11so it was hard to get away from those parapet walls and internal gutters.
18:14We've tried to future-proof it as best as we can, problem-solve it as best we can with big
18:19wide gutters,
18:20big outlets on our overflows, plenty of droppers.
18:23So we've tried to make his design work without any problems later on.
18:29The last thing we want as an industry, and especially me as the main contractor,
18:32are those phone calls with problems.
18:37The membrane has to be kept as dry as possible during installation and for a time afterwards.
18:43If rain threatens, the builders will have to cover the roof as much as possible,
18:47and open it up again on sunny days.
18:50And so, with their house all but closed in,
18:54Robert and Bryony can start visualising what life here will really be like.
19:01OK, so this is where the front door is, here.
19:08And then all of this will be covered in pictures all round there.
19:13That's the idea, anyway.
19:16The couple's very own art gallery has been foremost in their minds right from the start of this project.
19:23It should be great.
19:25I'm really looking forward to it.
19:27To see all our pictures out, which we've never had before.
19:31Because we've never had anywhere to hang them.
19:34But actually, being in the space can, unexpectedly perhaps, raise a few doubts.
19:41I'm a bit concerned about having a black kitchen and thinking,
19:43oh, it's going to be a bit dark and gloomy.
19:45But I think it'll look really good, actually.
19:48It's going to look quite modern.
19:50An all black kitchen is a sort of strong design statement that appeals conceptually,
19:55but the reality might not quite hit the mark.
19:59And with the success of a modernist house depending so much on a combination of simple but precise elements,
20:04you'd have to hope that Robert has got the fundamentals right.
20:18It's November, and after a lot of work and a few nervous moments, no doubt,
20:24the roof is complete at Robert and Bryony's build.
20:27Just as well then that I didn't wait any longer before making my second visit.
20:33So this is what six months' progress looks like in Tauranga.
20:38I'm impressed.
20:39They are flying along.
20:42Maybe it's the wind.
20:46The garage and guest accommodation block was started first,
20:49so it's further ahead, but not that much.
20:53The main house is catching up fast.
20:58This is our art gallery.
20:59This is where we're going to hang all our excess pictures.
21:02It's going to be all dark blue.
21:05Dark blue?
21:06Dark blue, roof, skirting boards, everywhere.
21:09So you come into the dark, into the light and the view.
21:13So a completely different sort of set of circumstances.
21:17Different atmospheres.
21:18Great architectural trick there. Very good.
21:23It's perhaps a bit too early to judge the effect of those steel posts in the living areas,
21:28but the dark into light I can relate to a classic modernist compression and release.
21:35Completely different atmosphere in here from traditional to modern.
21:40Oh, right, that's how you see it.
21:42Yes, I do, yeah.
21:43But this will all be open then.
21:45So glazing all the way around.
21:48Four glazing, um, big large glazed windows.
21:51Yeah.
21:52And then one that goes back behind the fireplace.
21:54How clever.
21:55So when do the windows arrive?
21:59Yeah, windows. Well, we're not...
22:00Million dollar question.
22:02Well, they have been delayed.
22:05And we're not quite sure how long.
22:08And it's a bit unknown, is it, at the moment?
22:10Can't do anything about it at the moment.
22:11Well, we're optimistic, put it that way.
22:14Yes, yes, hopefully.
22:15Good.
22:15Got to be optimistic.
22:17Yes, indeed.
22:19And not to be pessimistic, but the windows are kind of important.
22:24You can't close a house in and start the interior work without them.
22:28On the bright side, daughter Emma is over from Sydney
22:32and checking out the new build firsthand for the first time.
22:36Well, this isn't bad, is it, Emma?
22:37No, it's very nice.
22:40They seem to be doing pretty well.
22:41Yeah.
22:42I think Dad's had his stressful times, but he's been all right.
22:46I think he enjoys it.
22:46What are the stresses?
22:48I think the amount of decisions that Dad's had to make.
22:52He's getting sort of a bit of decision fatigue.
22:56Just like the amount of things that he's like, the taps, the windows,
22:59the doors, the door handles and things like that.
23:01So, yeah.
23:02But they seem to be getting on all right.
23:04So, even though he's in his element, you can't actually put it down.
23:08Yeah.
23:08It's constant. You can't forget about it.
23:10No, exactly, exactly.
23:12So, but no, he's definitely enjoying it.
23:14I'm so, like, well, I'm proud of him.
23:16Yeah.
23:18From, like, following his dreams, I guess.
23:25However, as romantic as following a dream seems,
23:29there's also untested ground to cover here.
23:31For Robert and Briony, one of their most impactful moves
23:35is to locate their gallery space at the front entrance of their house.
23:39Unsure what the lighting implications of that decision are,
23:42they've sought advice from Tauranga Art Gallery director, Sonia Korahina,
23:46and lighting specialist, Alan Davies.
23:49And what better place to start but Sonia's own home?
23:55Part of what we have to take into consideration with this house
23:58is the light well that we've got up here,
24:01which, as you can see, is spilling light through.
24:04Sonia has plenty of art on show,
24:07but unlike the light walls here,
24:09Robert and Briony plan a deep blue gallery
24:12and a deliberate shift from the dark to light
24:15as you move through the house.
24:18The light will be sucked up by the dark walls.
24:22Sure.
24:23That's our big concern, yeah.
24:25It's really about finding the balance between the daylight contribution
24:28and then also be able to, you know, show your artwork
24:32and render the colours that you need.
24:34If you go too warm, it'll look very muddy.
24:37But if you go too cool, it can be very sterile.
24:40But it's the same sort of...
24:42The dark blue gallery has potential to be a really stunning space,
24:46but there's a lot to get right.
24:49Always use a matte paint, not a highly glossy one,
24:52otherwise you'll see all the imperfections in the wall show up as well.
24:55Yes, yes, good point.
24:56And get that reflection...
24:58Yes, and that reflection from the light coming back on the paint too.
25:05But while correct lighting is critical for displaying art,
25:09maybe the bigger question is just how to blend the requirements of a gallery space
25:14with the practicalities of a house.
25:16It may well be that balancing what's best for the home and the art
25:20is an art in itself.
25:22It's very plain architecture.
25:24I didn't realise it was so complicated, to be honest.
25:28Lighting makes or breaks a picture.
25:31And if you can see it in the same way,
25:34maybe that the artists, when they painted it, wanted it to be seen.
25:39The art gallery is a real test of Robert's design.
25:43The modernist principle of form follows function,
25:46prioritises the purpose of a space.
25:49Its aesthetic value comes from that purpose.
25:51So the art gallery can't stand alone.
25:54It must be a cohesive part of the whole.
26:07Into the new year and Robert and Briony have been carefully landscaping around the new house.
26:13But there have been some unwanted visitors.
26:17The Puchecos have eaten my plants,
26:22wretched things.
26:22And you can see they've obviously been having a little wander through the house.
26:28It's a minor annoyance though compared to the windows,
26:31which are now three months late being delivered.
26:36The whole thing is unfortunate.
26:38Because we thought everything was on track.
26:41We just have to wait and see.
26:43Yes, and Robert, as you can see by his hair,
26:47has refused to cut his hair until the windows are here.
26:51So he's beginning to look a bit like an ageing hippie now.
26:54Yes, yes.
26:57But my strength lies in my hair.
27:01And as soon as they're in, I'll have a haircut.
27:04I'll have a haircut.
27:08While some of the windows and sliding doors are huge,
27:12they were ordered many months ago.
27:14Plenty of time, you would have thought,
27:16for them to be manufactured and arrive.
27:19So what's the story?
27:21I've no idea.
27:23The glass panes, I think, weigh a quarter of a ton each.
27:28So I think it's pushed them a bit.
27:31And of course, we thought we had it resolved.
27:33But hopefully, by next week,
27:36we should know exactly what's going on.
27:38Without the windows,
27:40work here has virtually ground to a halt.
27:43And the couple's patience is being sorely tested.
27:51It is a rollercoaster of emotions.
27:53You know, you definitely have your very high highs
27:57and your pretty low lows.
27:59Everybody's got to be shuffled back.
28:01All the contractors have got to be shuffled back,
28:02which Troon's dealing with, of course.
28:04It makes it tough on him.
28:07And I feel sorry for him.
28:09It's very tough to try and, you know, juggling,
28:13juggling, juggling balls in the air.
28:14And you sort of think, hmm, hopefully that'll land.
28:17But, um, it's, um, it is tough.
28:29It's April, and the glazing has finally arrived
28:32at Robert and Bryony's build.
28:34A staggering five months late,
28:37completely outside the control of the couple,
28:40or Troon and the builders.
28:42The joinery firm that we were dealing with
28:44was a receivership.
28:45And so, um, the wheels fell off that contract.
28:49We had to then try and find a new contractor
28:52that would step in and fill that role.
28:54Uh, being that we had quite a complex,
28:57large slider, 10.6 metres long,
28:59meant that it was difficult to find the right people.
29:01So, it was pretty painful, to be honest,
29:04because the whole job came to a grinding halt.
29:05We couldn't do anything else without the windows.
29:07And, um, so, yes.
29:09And now that the windows have arrived
29:10and they're on site, we're away again.
29:18So, it's been a very stressful last five months,
29:22and a long time between haircuts for Robert.
29:25That was a silly comment I made in November,
29:28when I needed a haircut.
29:30Well, today's the day.
29:33And I just cannot wait.
29:35It has been an absolute bloody nightmare.
29:39Yes, I'm looking forward to it, too,
29:41because it's dreadful.
29:42I have to say, it is dreadful.
29:45What's wonderful, though,
29:47is the windows and the sliding doors
29:49will finally make the house watertight.
29:51So, today's a major milestone,
29:53with a lot on the line.
29:56Oh, a bit nervous.
29:58It's a big pane of glass to drop.
30:02It's a heavyweight job.
30:04But, really, just another day at the office
30:06for the windows team.
30:11Meanwhile, I'm here for the hair.
30:17Hey!
30:19Hi, Tom.
30:19Hi, Tom.
30:20I saw the glorious mane of hair from across the field.
30:23How are you?
30:24Well...
30:26Yeah, that's quite something.
30:27Look at that.
30:27Yes, yes, yes.
30:28I'm quite proud of it.
30:29Actually, I'm not.
30:29I'm getting rid of it in about three hours,
30:32if everything goes according to plan.
30:34First pane in, so...
30:35Each pane is 280 kilos.
30:38We were wondering how we were actually going to open them.
30:41That's quite a way to push.
30:43That's the next worry,
30:44is that we can actually open them.
30:45They slide nicely.
30:46Yeah.
30:47So, let's get them in first, then,
30:48then we can test them later.
30:50Test them later, exactly.
30:52I would hope, by the end of May,
30:56it'll be completely painted, all done,
30:59finished, watertight,
31:00and we can just concentrate on the inside, then.
31:03Yeah.
31:03So, the outside will look pretty good.
31:05Pretty good.
31:05Don't make another bet about the haircut.
31:07No.
31:07That's my advice.
31:08No, I've learned my lesson.
31:09That won't happen twice.
31:11OK.
31:11Good, good.
31:15With the glazing all in,
31:16it's time to test the sliding doors,
31:19and there's a potential issue.
31:23Oh, that's going to be a bit of a problem,
31:25with the bar in there.
31:26That is OK.
31:27Can you keep going?
31:29Oh, gosh.
31:29But that's good.
31:30Blimey.
31:31That's quite heavy to do that.
31:32Yeah, this is the last one, though,
31:34but you've got to stop as well.
31:37That's fine.
31:39Oh, good.
31:40Nice job.
31:44Ta-da!
31:46It works, it works.
31:49The roof above the massive doors
31:52has to be supported somehow,
31:54and you can only imagine
31:55the size of the steel beams
31:57that would be necessary
31:58for a completely open span.
32:01Jeez, it's quite hard, isn't it?
32:05Consider the bigger picture, though.
32:0730 square metres of almost uninterrupted glass.
32:11Talk about wide-screen views.
32:13Oh, they're amazing, aren't they?
32:15It is.
32:15Huge piece of glass.
32:16Yeah.
32:17So cool.
32:18With the windows, doors and skylights
32:21safely installed,
32:22time for the main event.
32:25Right.
32:28Do we leave the mallet?
32:29No.
32:30Full mallet, yeah.
32:32Soon, Robert's bad hair days
32:35will just be a fading memory.
32:37It's quite long, isn't it, Stevie?
32:39Well, at least I've proved that I can grow it.
32:41Yeah, yeah.
32:42In most places.
32:45I think you've got to do something with this.
32:47Have you got lamb wool insulation in the walls?
32:49No, Tom, we are not going to put it in the walls.
32:51It's like a time capsule.
32:54No.
32:55No?
32:55No, get rid.
32:56No, get rid.
32:57Definitely.
32:59I get the feeling this joke has worn a bit thin for Brian and Robert,
33:04and chopping the mop takes a load off both of them.
33:08Oh, my goodness me.
33:10That's pretty damn good, isn't it?
33:13That's fine.
33:14Good for another ten months, I reckon.
33:17The old Robert's back.
33:24By mid-year, the windows blues have been blown away
33:28in a whirl of activity that's got the build back on track.
33:33Everything has progressed so much.
33:35The insulation's now in, the jib is nearly finished.
33:39Just huge progress.
33:42Even so, the final push towards the finish line can be frustrating.
33:47Robert is certainly getting a little weary.
33:50Definitely getting a little weary,
33:52but he's looking forward to the end product,
33:54so we just have to keep going.
33:59Look at that.
34:01That's amazing.
34:03Those are so nice.
34:04What do you think of the windows?
34:05That's awesome.
34:07A timely visit from Freddie and Emma
34:09injects some youthful energy and admiration.
34:14You can really get a good idea.
34:16But it feels like a house now.
34:17It does, yes.
34:18Yes, it does.
34:19But we'll go through into the TV room first.
34:22I always wish he became an architect.
34:24That's awesome.
34:26That's where Mum's kitchen's going.
34:28Nice black kitchen.
34:29The uniqueness of it is all really coming together.
34:32Like, I think it looks so great.
34:33It's exciting.
34:34And it just makes me feel quite proud
34:35of what they've been able to achieve and accomplish.
34:42I think it's a good time to have a think about this project
34:45as it comes to the finish line.
34:47Two things remain in my mind.
34:49Firstly, that modernist mantra,
34:52form follows function.
34:54We're going to see if this house functions well.
34:57But where I think this house ultimately gets judged
35:01is in the detail.
35:02With a modernist house, everything stripped back,
35:04the detail has to be perfect.
35:07So let's see if it is.
35:20Well, this is a very pleasant drive.
35:22Through the rural hills to Robert and Bryony's place.
35:25And all around, there are conventional houses,
35:27as you would expect.
35:28But we're going to the unexpected, the surprise.
35:30You see, the whole thing about this was the bravery of Robert,
35:35supported by Bryony, going back later in life
35:38to retrain to design houses.
35:41And so that's the idea.
35:43Now here's the test.
35:45Has he got it right for them?
35:54It's very neat and modern.
36:00It's a great angle on this house.
36:03It's some real modernist touches of crisp white wall.
36:07Different planes, a bit of complexity.
36:10Of course, this great blue wall.
36:13It makes an extra horizon line.
36:15I can see the mount beyond.
36:17And then it guides me towards the front door.
36:28Hello.
36:29Hello.
36:30Tom, how are you doing?
36:31Hi, Bryony. I'm Robert.
36:33Hi, Tom. Nice to see you again.
36:34Really nice to see you.
36:35What an incredibly impressive front door.
36:38It is. Lovely.
36:39Yeah, we're very, very pleased with it, how it's turned out.
36:41Yeah.
36:42Well, it's the start of something.
36:43Is this the sign of things to come?
36:44Yes, it is indeed.
36:45Gosh, look at this.
36:51This is amazing.
36:52It's like stepping into a museum,
36:55an archive of beautiful things.
36:57Nearly all of these artworks,
36:59we've got a story behind.
37:00Not least this.
37:01Not least this one.
37:02I'm kind of transfixed by it.
37:04You're looking at me through time, Bryony.
37:07Pride of Place.
37:08Pride of Place.
37:09Yes, absolutely.
37:10The blue is so good.
37:12It's really crunchy, isn't it?
37:13And high contrast with these gold frames.
37:16But you've also got this gallery lighting.
37:19Works really well.
37:20Yeah, so he's done a fantastic job.
37:22Yeah, absolutely beautiful and it's worked out really well.
37:26But I've got to draw my eyes away and pivot
37:29because I'd almost forgotten we've got that incredible view.
37:38Such a great view.
37:40I've got goosebumps.
37:41You take a breath in and that corner window,
37:44so effective at giving you that big sweep.
37:52And the contrast with that,
37:54so we've come out of the deep blue gallery
37:56and now into this light, bright space.
37:58It was totally intentional to have two different feels
38:01about the house.
38:02Yeah.
38:02And as you go to the other rooms,
38:04they also change as well.
38:12The kitchen.
38:13Wow.
38:14It feels massive.
38:16It is.
38:17There is a lot of storage space.
38:19And, um, no, I love it.
38:21It works really well.
38:23There's more than a bit of minimalism in this kitchen, isn't there?
38:26I mean, there's not even a socket on that splashback,
38:28let alone a toaster or a kettle to be seen.
38:31But because of these materials, it doesn't feel austere.
38:34No, yes.
38:35It works well.
38:36It does work very well.
38:43There's a smaller lower ceiling here, smaller room.
38:46Oh, this is cosy, isn't it?
38:48It is, yes.
38:49That's exactly what it was supposed to be,
38:51a casual room, you know, relaxing.
38:54True snug.
38:55It is a true snug, absolutely, yeah.
38:57You know, we've got the extra beds if required.
39:00And then outside, there's a little space there.
39:02That's our gin and tonic deck for the evenings.
39:05And I guess if it's a good session,
39:06then you can just roll in through the bifolds
39:08and end up on the bed.
39:10Absolutely, yes. Why not? Why not?
39:14Conveniently, right next to the snug,
39:16the guest bedroom can also handle casualties
39:19from the gin and tonic deck.
39:20While back down by the art gallery,
39:22the home office, or nostalgia room,
39:25is a quiet repository for family photos and mementos.
39:29And close by, the master bedroom.
39:31Well, it's definitely a feminine touch here.
39:34Yes, absolutely.
39:36I chose the colours,
39:38and originally I was going to have
39:40a fairly sort of busy wallpaper,
39:43but then we saw this wallpaper and just loved it.
39:46It's a lovely outlook.
39:47You've got the little farm gate,
39:49that rolling valley and the hills beyond.
39:51It's very triumphal, it's very peaceful.
39:54They haven't skimped on space here
39:56with the large walk-in wardrobe
39:58and the elegant en suite.
40:00Very much a bathroom with a view.
40:04To bathe underneath a giant window
40:06with the mount in the background,
40:09and that's glorious.
40:10Yes, it sure is, yeah.
40:12We've spent quite a bit of time
40:13getting the bath absolutely at the right level.
40:16You've obviously got very good dead reckoning.
40:20You intuitively know what's right.
40:22You can claim that, I think.
40:23Yeah, okay. I'll take that.
40:25Take that.
40:25Yeah, yeah.
40:29What I think Robert has also been proved right about
40:32is the garage and guest flats so close to the main house.
40:37Stylistically very different for sure,
40:39but happily, complimentary as well.
40:46So are the frustrations over?
40:48Have you achieved what you wanted to?
40:50I think we have.
40:51I really like it.
40:52It has a very nice feeling about the house,
40:54and it's sort of a bit serene, really.
41:04Since we bought the land, that's 15 years ago.
41:07Yeah, there you go.
41:08So it's been a long time preparing for it.
41:10We love it.
41:11Yeah. We love it.
41:12Would you change anything?
41:15It's a good question.
41:17I don't think so, actually.
41:19I suppose I might change things,
41:22how it was constructed slightly
41:23to make it cheaper.
41:25But all in all, I don't regret anything.
41:28So remind me, what was your original budget?
41:32How much was this going to cost?
41:33I told you two and a half million.
41:34Yeah.
41:35And we're on budget.
41:36How much did you spend in total?
41:38Oh, probably only what I consider outside the budget.
41:41Maybe 50 grand.
41:42That's remarkable.
41:43I kept a very close eye on what we were spending
41:47and where we were spending it.
41:49Yes, I did.
41:49And kept an eye on the bargain corner
41:53of the builder's merchants we used.
41:55Hell yeah.
41:56And everybody knew me in there.
42:00You just have to be careful
42:01and be aware of what you're spending
42:04and what you've still got to spend.
42:14I don't think there's anything standard here at all.
42:17All the doorways are higher and wider
42:20than any normal house.
42:22You've got this battle between form and function
42:25and proportion.
42:27And to get those three things right,
42:31I think it's quite difficult to do.
42:33But I knew what we wanted
42:35and we tried to incorporate all of that into the building.
42:38And I don't think it's come out too badly.
42:40I'm very happy with it.
42:41Oh, yeah.
42:42I would be very surprised to understand
42:44that this is the first attempt of a new architect, effectively.
42:47That's what it is.
42:54And you must be really proud of what he's done.
42:56Yes.
42:57Yeah, I am.
42:58And he's done the most fantastic job.
43:01I'm very proud of him.
43:02Oh, good.
43:03I'm afraid what you've done there
43:04is set yourself up for a new career.
43:06And architectural careers are quite long, so...
43:09I don't...
43:10Yeah, I think in my mid-70s,
43:12I'm not going to be doing that.
43:14We'll see.
43:20Let's return to this thought
43:22about a little bit of knowledge being a dangerous thing,
43:25because I really don't think that's what's going on here.
43:28I see a home put together
43:30with great consideration and wisdom.
43:33It doesn't stick slavishly to a particular architectural style.
43:36Instead, there's this great combination
43:38of design and life experiences.
43:41But, you know, the thing I respect the most
43:43is that Robert hasn't done what we typically do as we get older,
43:46and that is to retreat to become more conservative.
43:49Instead, he's put himself out there and backed himself.
43:52And in doing so,
43:53created a home that is impressive and welcoming.
43:57And it suits Robert and Bryony down to the ground.
44:01They're delighted with it.
44:03What a success.
44:04That was huge.
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