A man who spent £800k on one of Grand Designs’ most memorable homes has revealed he can’t bring himself to watch the show 15 years on.
Architect Richard Hawkes and his wife Sophie spent a fortune building Crossways in Staplehurst, Kent.
Inspired by designs dating back to the Middle Ages, it divided opinion, with even presenter Kevin McCloud declaring it “crazy”.
Despite some setbacks, it ultimately took a year to build the property and Richard, 50, said living there has been one of the “highlights of his life.”
He told MailOnline: ‘We are still in the property and we still love it.
“It still surprises us.”
Architect Richard Hawkes (pictured), who spent £800,000 on one of Grand Designs’ most illustrious works, says he no longer dares watch the spectacle.
It was a “world first” with a domed roof and its own structure is based on a medieval design, known as a paneled vault.
Richard and Sophie chose to build a Passivhaus, an energy efficient building with an arched roof, 20 meters wide and nine meters high, but only 100mm thick.
However, the extravagant design divided opinion with even presenter Kevin McCloud calling it “crazy”.
The “first house in the world” had a domed roof and its structure is based on a medieval design, known as a brick vault.
It caused shockwaves in the industry when the couple appeared on the hit show in 2009.
This method, first used in 1382 in Spain, uses thin bricks to create a lightweight, durable building.
The arch is less than 5 inches thick, so you don’t waste material. The gravel and soil on top, in which the flowers will be planted, help weigh down the self-supporting frame and stabilize it.
The structure not only eliminates the need for materials such as concrete, which are energy-intensive to manufacture, but also allows the building to retain heat.
And in his quest to save energy, Richard again discovered that traditional methods were the best.
He used locally sourced antique clay tiles, rather than bricks, as they were more energy efficient.
And the property still plays an important role in the show’s history, featuring prominently in a special called Grand Designs: 25 Years & Counting broadcast earlier this month.
Richard told Mail Online: ‘It’s been one of the highlights of my life.
‘Appearing on the show has been incredible, even all these years later people come up and say we were on Grand Designs.
‘It’s pretty crazy.
Richard revealed to MailOnline that the family still lived at the property and “they loved it”.
It took Richard and his wife Sophie, 50, a year and £800,000 to build the Crossways eco-home in Staplehurst, Kent.
The method, which uses thin bricks to construct a lightweight and durable building, was first put into practice in 1382 in Spain.
The arch of this unique house is less than 5 inches thick and is filled with gravel and soil on top to help stabilize the self-supporting frame.
The structure is waste-friendly, as materials such as concrete, which require a lot of energy to manufacture, are not needed.
‘We used to have cyclists who would pass by and stop and talk about us being on the show.
‘I think the house was considered a kettle at the time. People had many opinions. The design, the structure and how we had done things divided opinion.
‘I think that after these years people’s opinions have changed and now there are more fans than not. But it wasn’t always like that.’
The couple and their son, Oscar, then eight, lived in a caravan at the site before moving out.
The show’s fame came in 2009, when Kevin’s infamous “crazy” comment perhaps gave the impression that he wasn’t a fan.
But Richard insists that is not the case.
He added: “I think he was very surprised by what we had done and how we had done it.
«In particular, the arch surprised him a lot.
‘But he kept in touch after the broadcast and has always been very complimentary.
“Like many people, he has a love for home.
‘People have a bond and something associated with it and we have always tried to reflect that.
“Appearing on the show has been amazing, even all these years later people come up and say we were on Grand Designs,” said Richard (Pictured: the interior of the house).
Inside the elegant kitchen of this unique home designed by architect Richard and Sophie Hawkes
The building took a year and £800,000 to construct and, looking back at the age of 50, Richard says it has been one of the highlights of his life.
The couple grew several trees outside the property, built outbuildings and purchased more land for more privacy.
“It’s a special feeling.”
Although they have kept the main elements of the house the same, there have been changes since they appeared on the show.
The kitchen has now been opened to a large space and outbuildings have also been created.
It also has more privacy, with trees growing outside and a gate, plus more land.
Richard added: ‘It wasn’t a case where people were watching all the time. But it’s been nice to have a little more privacy.
‘It has been a great journey. Things have evolved naturally.’
The couple has kept in touch with other people they have met and who have appeared on the show.
And through his own architectural firm, Richard has managed to get other properties included.
But after a long day looking after other people’s property, he respectfully said the last thing he wants to do is watch the show.
Despite encouraging others to take part in the programme, Richard revealed that it is the last thing he wants to see after a long day as an architect.
‘It has been a fantastic trip. But I have to admit that I don’t see it anymore,’ he revealed (In the photo: The exterior of the house)
“I come home from working as an architect, where I spend all day fixing up and talking about other people’s properties,” he added: “The last thing I want to do is watch a TV show about the same thing.”
An aerial view of his house which appeared in the Channel 4 series.
He explains: ‘We loved Grand Designs and he will always be fond of us in our lives. It changed them.
‘It has been a fantastic trip. But I have to admit that I don’t see it anymore.
‘I come home from working as an architect, where I spend the day fixing up and talking about other people’s properties.
‘The last thing I want to do is watch a TV show about the same thing. I still have opinions when I was watching it.
‘I would sit there and disagree with them. Then I thought this is not what I want to do.
‘In the best way, I can’t see it. The company and what we have achieved has really surpassed it.
‘But I will always be very grateful. It was amazing. “I would highly recommend anyone else do it.”
