Episode Information Trade Secrets Hampshire

Date Published:

16/06/2008

It's a bold and unusual step to build a new house with a thatched roof, not least when incorporating modern features like plate glass walls. Alex and Cheryl called on some Dutch courage by drawing inspiration from the Netherlands, where two thirds of new buildings are roofed with thatch. They also learnt from a real rarity - stunning contemporary thatching on our own shores.

Alex and Cheryl had little choice but to go Dutch when looking for new build thatches to inspire them. The Netherlands are in the midst of a thatch renaissance, and have recently become adept at integrating this traditional craft into some unconventional and forward-thinking architecture. This made it the perfect place to get inspiration for the couple's semi-traditional, ultramodern vision.

As you can see, this particular Dutch design is the very definition of the new-meets-old look engendered in Alex and Cheryl's Grand Design. Its roof slopes right down to just a foot or so above the ground, which is a practical weatherproofing feature, but also ensures that the building fits in with its surroundings.

This second point was imperative to the design of the Hampshire home. It was crucial to create a design that was true to the sadly fire-ravaged cottage, but also cutting-edge without being overbearing to the surrounding village. By taking a similar route to that adopted by these Dutch architects, a perfect blend of modernism and tactful traditionalism was achieved.

Inspiration also came from some smaller but more numerous Dutch projects. The idea of underlaying the thatch with fireproof boards is a common and sensible feature of these new homes, and was an obvious revelation given the couple's previous experiences with fire!

Holland's thatching industry can truly be thought of as double Dutch, since at £84 million per year it is worth twice that of the UK's. This makes it logical that this Grand Design took inspiration from the country that knows most about contemporary thatching.

Cutting edge thatched projects may be common in Holland, but even here in the UK there are occasional stunning properties that even make the Dutch stop and listen. The Hampshire cottage's design was inspired in part by a wonderfully individual and modernist structure in Lancashire. And with a bit of luck, Alex and Cheryl's cottage can rightfully join this ever expanding canon of exciting thatched British architecture.

This Grand Design can itself be an inspiration to future projects incorporating one of the oldest building crafts with some of the newest attributes of modern construction.