Episode Information Trade Secrets Bournemouth

Date Published:

16/06/2008

Episode 4 of Trade Secrets sees Kevin and the gang mulling over a rooftop renovation in Bournemouth. We'll guide you through the tricky process of building on top of an existing structure.

This week's project drew inspiration from two different types of building; on the one hand James and Katrin looked to other solariums to explore the best ways to maximise light and the impression of space. On the other, this property is essentially a solarium that is becoming a penthouse. Consequently, the couple drew inspiration from other penthouse properties to formulate a plan for their Grand Design.

It seems that James and Katrin lost their way somewhat, failing to utilise the massive window they installed in order to allow the maximum amount of sunlight into the property. The very ethos of a solarium has been undermined. Had they effectively taken inspiration from some existing solariums, the results could have been rather different.

Take Britain's first ever solarium, just a stone's throw from James and Katrin's home. Its purpose was to allow the public to benefit year-round from the sun's rays. The layout is open plan to allow sunlight to stream through. Of course, a modern home inevitably needs to include more private spaces than this solarium, but it should have still been possible to incorporate a greater element of this light and airy style than the couple chose to.

A fine example of how James and Katrin could have fused the design ideas of both penthouses and solariums is this property, which has been built on top of an old factory. The design is tailored to the site in order to maximise views, and those solarium-style walls of glass mean sunlight streams through the whole property.

Rooftop properties are often short on space and limited by obstacles, such as chimneys and water tanks in the case of the Bournemouth project. Katrin and James could have taken heed of Olivia and Gary Rowlands' design, whose entire family home is built in an awkward rooftop space. Again, entire walls of glass allow light to penetrate every corner of the property, something that James and Katrin failed to fully implement.

Having said that, it is hard to hate the Bournemouth Penthouse. For all its shortcomings, the couple have created a fairly spacious home with a gorgeous view and a stunning domed area that still incorporates the original solarium. Had they employed an architect and studied some similar properties a little harder, the results could have been fantastic. As it stands, however, they have created an attractive and unique, if somewhat flawed, grand design.