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On Design
Brief encounter with the man McCloud
Posted by Pete Tonks
on 22nd May 2009
So we just finished up a 10 day punisher of a schedule at the Grand Designs Live Excel... well, this was now a couple of weeks ago but have only just had the chance to get back in the studio properly to write about it!
We launched ZONE home studios in association with Potton Limited at the show whereby we recreated the PJT Design studio right next to the Grand Theatre! ZONE by Potton now allows anyone who wishes to work from home to have something a little bit funky in the garden. Likewise, ZONE can be built for use a music studio, art studio, TV room etc etc.
With the planning laws being relaxed last year, you can now have your own slice of "white-box" architecture in your garden typically without planning permission and little or no building regs.
Its a complete "no-brainer" as far as i am concerned so why not see what you think at www.potton.co.uk/zone
Having been a big fan of "Sir Kev" for many years, it was good to meet him for a brief couple of minutes and show him around ZONE.... he smiled a lot and made the right noises so we were happy!
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Pete Tonks
Pete Tonks has been designing houses for self-builders for almost 25 years through work for major package suppliers and now runs his own practice, at pjtdesign.
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Having met him several times over the years as an exhibitor at GDL since their first show it seems to me he is losing the plot.
A great presenter on his own territory - architecture lest ye forget - he has not the talent to present television generally no matter how much the surrounding sycophants tell him he is. Witness 'The House That Kevin Built' last year - truly cringe making. And to think that we hung around one night to watch it live....gah!
But this is where his downfall lies - he is suffering Jeremy Clarkson syndrome whereby he has so much money that he only does what he wants - visit monstrous concrete carbuncles costing £millions. If you don't believe me, see how all the winners of his annual awards (where voted for by the public, not paid for by exhibitors) are pretty much restorations of existing buildings in a sympathetic way. No wonder the audience figures are dropping at what the FT once called 'the hardcore of property pornography programs'
Mark
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