16 Apr 2006
Grand Designs Live, the record-breaking exhibition based on the hugely popular television series, returns to ExCel London and promises to be even bigger and better with the launch of 'The Grand Village'. Sponsored by HUF HAUS, The Grand Village will showcase some of the world's leading conceptual home manufacturers, allowing visitors to explore homes which can be specifically tailored to their lifestyle needs.
Situated immediately outside ExCeL London's exhibition halls, The Grand Village will occupy the whole of Royal Victoria Square with concept homes designed by German company HUF HAUS and British companies, PAD, Container City™ and the micro-compact home by Horden Cherry Lee Architects.
Each of the buildings will be specially erected on site and bordered by beautifully landscaped gardens, created by award-winning landscape designer Mark Laurence, reflecting the sustainable nature of the buildings they surround. There are plans to demonstrate how wastewater from the buildings can be used to nourish the plants and create water features. It is envisaged that the landscaped gardens will become a real focal point for the show where visitors will be able to sit and relax.
Following last year's show-stopping three-day build, HUF HAUS is set to return, building a house offering around 2,500 square feet of living space. Based on distinctive post and beam architecture, the structure frees designers of the constraints of load bearing walls which, coupled with the wall to ceiling glazing, give the inside of a HUF house an unrivalled feeling of space.
What's more, visitors will be able to walk around the single storey HUF house, which will be purposely left half finished to demonstrate how the raw shell can be transformed into a beautiful living space. The main living areas will be fully fitted, giving all who visit a real sense of home.
In addition, British company PAD will be debuting a new concept for homes at The Grand Village. Each PAD is made up of a three or four bed detached house, which can be arranged to suit individual tastes. This revolutionary way of creating spaces for today's busy and diverse lifestyles can easily expand as families grow. Furthermore, a PAD home is quick and easy to assemble as all the parts are made off site under factory conditions.
The structures are supported by fewer foundations than required for traditional builds, helping to lessen the impact on the environment. These flexible, interchangeable structures challenge entrenched ideas about traditional house building.
Michael Wallis of PAD explained the ethos behind the house: “The big difference we offer is personal choice. With a PAD you can design and configure the house exactly how you want, even down to the choice of manufacturers for each room. For instance, we're partnering with Poggenpohl for the kitchen, CP Hart for the bathroom, Saxum for the bedroom and Bose for the home entertainment system. A PAD home is all about.”
The third home within The Grand Village is the micro-compact home by London-based architecture practice Horden Cherry Lee. The m-ch is specifically designed for short-stay smart living and is suitable for various locations, providing sophisticated compact accommodation for business or leisure use.
Container City™, devised by Urban Space Management, will complete the Grand Village. These versatile and affordable homes made from shipping containers, link to provide high strength prefabricated modules that can create a wide variety of habitable shapes. The residential dwelling at this year's show was initially designed for the Cove Park Centre in Scotland. Visitors will have the chance to see the system's scope for attractive, compact and environmentally sensitive buildings. The structures blend seamlessly into the setting within which they are placed, and can easily be adapted to incorporate renewable technologies such as solar energy and rainwater harvesting.
The Grand Village will be open to visitors throughout the entire three-day exhibition. Members of the public are able to talk to designers about the benefits of alternative housing concepts, and will have the chance to commission a custom-made structure.
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Tickets for Grand Designs Live are priced at £12 in advance or £16 on the door (children under 16 receive entry for free)
For further information or images, please contact:
Tara O'Brien or Liz Eyarhono
Midnight Communications
Tel: 01273 666200
Email: gdl@midnight.co.uk
Grand Designs Live 2006
2-4 June, ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock