I spent £800,000 building a world first at Grand Designs… Kevin McCloud called it ‘madness’ – but 15 years later we’re still here

A man who spent £800,000 on one of Grand Design’s most memorable homes has revealed he cannot bring himself to watch the show 15 years later.

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 host Kevin McCloud calling it ‘madness’.

Despite some problems, the property ultimately took a year to build and Richard, 50, said living there was one of the ‘highlights of his life’.

He told MailOnline: ‘We are still in the property and we still absolutely love it.

“It still surprises us.”

Architect Richard Hawkes (pictured), who spent £800,000 on one of Grand Design’s most illustrious works, says he can no longer bring himself to watch the show

It was a ‘world first’ with a domed roof and the framework itself is based on a medieval design known as timbrel vaults

Richard and Sophie chose to build a Passive House, an energy efficient building with a curved roof – which is 20 meters wide and nine meters high, but only 100mm thick

However, the bizarre design divided opinion, with even host Kevin McCloud calling it ‘madness’.

The ‘world first’ house had a domed roof and the framework itself is based on a medieval design known as timbrel vaults.

It sent shockwaves through the industry when the couple appeared on the hit show in 2009.

First used in 1382 in Spain, this method uses thin stones to create a lightweight, durable building.

The arch is less than 5 inches thick, so no material is wasted. Gravel and soil on top, in which flowers are planted, help weigh down and stabilize the self-supporting frame.

The construction not only eliminates the need for materials such as concrete, which are energy-intensive to make, but also allows the building to retain heat.

And in his quest to save power, Richard once again discovered that traditional methods were best.

He used locally sourced, old-fashioned clay tiles instead of brick because they were more energy efficient.

And the property still plays a huge role in the show’s history, having been prominently featured in a special broadcast called Grand Designs: 25 Years & Counting earlier this month.

Richard told Mail Online: ‘It was one of the highlights of my life.

‘It was incredible to appear on the show, even all these years later people come up and say we were in Grand Designs.

‘It’s quite crazy.

Richard revealed to MailOnline that the family were still living in the property and that they absolutely ‘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 the lightweight and durable building, was first practiced in Spain in 1382.

The unique house’s arch is less than 6 inches thick and sits on top with gravel and soil to help stabilize the self-supporting frame

The construction is waste-friendly because it does not require materials such as concrete, which require a lot of energy to make.

‘We used to have cyclists pass by and stop to talk about our participation in the show.

‘I think the house was considered Marmite at the time. People had a lot of opinions. Opinions were divided on the design and structure and how we did it.

“I think people’s opinions have changed after these years and now there are more fans than not. But it hasn’t always been that way.’

The couple and their son Oscar, then aged eight, lived in a caravan on the property before moving there.

The show’s rise to fame came in 2009, with Kevin’s infamous “madness” comment perhaps giving the impression he wasn’t a fan.

But Richard insists this is not the case.

He added: “I think he was very shocked by what we had done and how we had gone about it.

‘The arch in particular really surprised him.

‘But he kept in touch after the broadcast and was always very complimentary.

‘Like many people, he has a love for the house.

‘People have a connection with it and we have always tried to reflect that.

“It was incredible to appear on the show, even all these years later people come up and say we were in Grand Designs,” said Richard (Photo: The interior of the house)

Inside the unique stylish kitchen designed by architect Richard and Sophie Hawkes

It took a year and £800,000 to build the building, and in retrospect, at the age of 50, Richard says it was one of the highlights of his life.

The couple grew several trees outside the property, built an outbuilding 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 expanded into a large room and outbuildings have also been created.

It also has more privacy, with trees growing outside and a gate, as well as more land.

Richard added: “It wasn’t like people were watching all the time. But it was nice to get a little more privacy.

‘It’s been an amazing journey. Things evolved naturally.”

The couple has kept in touch with other people they met who appeared on the show.

And through his own architectural firm, Richard has ensured that other properties are also on display.

But after a long day of looking after other people’s property, he said respectfully, the last thing he wants to do is watch the show.

Despite encouraging others to watch the show, Richard revealed it’s the last thing he wants to watch after a long day as an architect

‘It has been a fantastic journey. But I have to admit that I don’t look at it anymore,” he revealed (photo: the exterior of the house)

“I come home from work as an architect, where I spend all day arranging and talking about other people’s properties,” he added: “The last thing I want to do is watch a television program about the same thing.”

An aerial view of their home from the Channel 4 series

He explains, “We loved Grand Designs and it will always have a fondness in our lives. It changed them.

‘It has been a fantastic journey. But I have to admit that I don’t watch it anymore.

‘I come home from work as an architect, where I spend all day decorating and talking about other people’s properties.

‘The last thing I want to do is watch a TV program about the same thing afterwards. I still have an opinion when I watched it.

“I would sit there and disagree with them. Then I thought: this is not what I want to do.

‘In the nicest way I can’t look at it. The company and what we’ve achieved has really caught up.

“But I will always be so grateful. It was great. I would recommend it to everyone to get started.’