The man behind television's Grand Designs has said there is a glut of people building modernist "white box" houses after the success of the show. But are television shows changing the streets in which we live?
The man behind television's Grand Designs has said there is a glut of people building modernist "white box" houses after the success of the show. But are television shows changing the streets in which we live?
The houses are square and sharp, more Bauhaus than Barratt.
The houses are square and sharp, more Bauhaus than Barratt.
They are the kind of places you can imagine as the natural habitat of the architect or the graphic designer or the film director.
They are the kind of places you can imagine as the natural habitat of the architect or the graphic designer or the film director.
According to Kevin McCloud, presenter of Channel 4's Grand Designs, they are "white, rendered, rectangular boxes with punctured projections, wood-clad or slate-clad with some glass". Pebbledash is nowhere to be seen.
According to Kevin McCloud, presenter of Channel 4's Grand Designs, they are "white, rendered, rectangular boxes with punctured projections, wood-clad or slate-clad with some glass". Pebbledash is nowhere to be seen.
And there are apparently lots more of these "boxes" in gestation than there used to be, with McCloud offering a mea culpa on the matter. Grand Designs, which follows families as they construct their dream home, has "promoted" this type of building, he says.
And there are apparently lots more of these "boxes" in gestation than there used to be, with McCloud offering a mea culpa on the matter. Grand Designs, which follows families as they construct their dream home, has "promoted" this type of building, he says.
Unless you are like Polly Pocket, there is nowhere to store your clothes⦠stupid kitchens with nowhere to sit where you have to balance the tray on your knees while you watch TV Amanda BailleuOn faux-modernist developments
Unless you are like Polly Pocket, there is nowhere to store your clothes⦠stupid kitchens with nowhere to sit where you have to balance the tray on your knees while you watch TV Amanda BailleuOn faux-modernist developments
Property shows have been in for some stick lately. Kirstie Allsopp, of Location, Location, Location has already had to deny suggestions that these shows have artificially pushed up prices and made life hard for first time buyers.
Property shows have been in for some stick lately. Kirstie Allsopp, of Location, Location, Location has already had to deny suggestions that these shows have artificially pushed up prices and made life hard for first time buyers.
Now the charge is that even a show like Grand Designs is encouraging people to build very similar homes, perhaps because those doing the building are looking more to the long-term investment aspect than they are to creating a comfortable home for themselves.
Now the charge is that even a show like Grand Designs is encouraging people to build very similar homes, perhaps because those doing the building are looking more to the long-term investment aspect than they are to creating a comfortable home for themselves.
Amanda Baillieu, editor of Building Design Online, says that developers building cheap, cramped city centre flats may have taken a cue from changing tastes.
Amanda Baillieu, editor of Building Design Online, says that developers building cheap, cramped city centre flats may have taken a cue from changing tastes.
"[They follow a type of] modernism which is the paint it white and give it the form of a modern building and stick in a balcony and you can sell it to aspiring young couples who want something modern and funky.
"[They follow a type of] modernism which is the paint it white and give it the form of a modern building and stick in a balcony and you can sell it to aspiring young couples who want something modern and funky.
"But you get inside and it's really tiny and mean and out of sync with the values of modernism which are space and light.
"But you get inside and it's really tiny and mean and out of sync with the values of modernism which are space and light.
"It is a bit irritating, it is so superficial. It's just the veneer of modernism. Unless you are like Polly Pocket [a small doll], there is nowhere to store your clothes⦠stupid kitchens with nowhere to sit where you have to balance the tray on your knees while you watch TV." The Grand Designs applicants now err towards the rectangular
"It is a bit irritating, it is so superficial. It's just the veneer of modernism. Unless you are like Polly Pocket [a small doll], there is nowhere to store your clothes⦠stupid kitchens with nowhere to sit where you have to balance the tray on your knees while you watch TV." The Grand Designs applicants now err towards the rectangular (Picture: Channel 4)
But it's a bit harsh to dump the blame for this wave of sub-modernist mediocrity at the door of the goggle box, says Ballieu.
But it's a bit harsh to dump the blame for this wave of sub-modernist mediocrity at the door of the goggle box, says Ballieu.
"There are lots of good modern buildings, you can't put it down to just one television programme."
"There are lots of good modern buildings, you can't put it down to just one television programme."
But the end result is a wave of rather similar houses and flats.
But the end result is a wave of rather similar houses and flats.
Or is it? The curious thing is that there's no way of finding out where trends are going in building design.
Or is it? The curious thing is that there's no way of finding out where trends are going in building design.
No-one can say for sure if there are more modernist houses than there were 10 years ago because no-one keeps detailed centralised records of all of the UK's planning applications.
No-one can say for sure if there are more modernist houses than there were 10 years ago because no-one keeps detailed centralised records of all of the UK's planning applications.
There are over 400 planning authorities in the UK and ascertaining whether "white boxes" or brick-built traditional houses are currently the fashion is probably low down on their list of priorities.
There are over 400 planning authorities in the UK and ascertaining whether "white boxes" or brick-built traditional houses are currently the fashion is probably low down on their list of priorities.
"You have to rely on anecdotes," says Andrew Wright, of the Planning Officers Society.
"You have to rely on anecdotes," says Andrew Wright, of the Planning Officers Society.
And so the question of exactly how or whether the mania for home improvement shows is changing our streets is likely to remain unanswered.
And so the question of exactly how or whether the mania for home improvement shows is changing our streets is likely to remain unanswered.
