I spent £800k building a world-first home on Grand Designs... Kevin McCloud called it 'lunacy' - but 15 years later we're still here

EXCLUSIVE I spent £800k building a world-first home on Grand Designs...

Kevin McCloud called it 'lunacy' - but 15 years later we're still here By Isaac Crowson Published: 08:54 BST, 28 September 2024 | Updated: 09:06 BST, 28 September 2024 e-mail View comments 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 later. Architect Richard Hawkes and wife Sophie spent a fortune building Crossways in Staplehurst, Kent. Inspired by designs dating back to the Middle Ages, it split opinion - with even host Kevin McCloud declaring it 'lunacy'.

Despite a few hiccups, it eventually 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're still in the property and we still absolutely love it. 'It still amazes us.

' Architect Richard Hawkes (Pictured), who splashed £800,000 on one of Grand Designs most illustrious works says he can no longer bring himself to watch the show It was a 'world first' with a dome-shaped roof and its very framework is based on a medieval design, known as timbrel vaulting Richard and Sophie opted to build a Passivhaus, an energy-efficient building with an arched roof - which is 20metres wide and nine metres high but only 100mm thick However the outlandish design divided opinion's with even host Kevin McCloud dubbing it as 'lunacy' The 'world first' house came with a dome-shaped roof and its very frame.