The House That Kevin Built

Brighton based building contractors The Mears Group have just completed Phase One of the rebuilding of The House That Kevin Built (THTKB) on the University of Brighton's Faculty of Art campus at Grand Parade.

In 2008 Duncan Baker-Brown, director of BBM Sustainable Design and architectural researcher at the university of Brighton, designed and built THTKB. The build only took 6 days and was filmed for Channel 4's 'Grand Designs Live' with Kevin McCloud.

Over 5 million viewers a night saw the build. THTKB was Europe's first prefabricated building made entirely of organic, compostable material. It was also the UK's first A+ rated dwelling.

The idea now is for the rest of the rebuild to be completed in the autumn of 2011. This time it will be slowed down from 6 days to three months so that it can involve school children (primary & secondary), students and anybody else who wants to help.

The University will also be holding presentations and workshops around the ideas associated with the project; ideas such as building with so-called waste-products as well as the original organic matter.

The rebuild of THTKB has already inspired a number of students from throughout the University to become involved; undergraduate Level II Architects designed prototypes for a new green construction system for the first floor walls and in May graduate architects & interior designers, helped by Mears apprentices, designed and made their on graduation pavilion inspired by THTKB.

This building utilised waste material from the new Amex building site including a rammed chalk wall. The rebuilt THTKB will be an evolving updatable three dimensional research project that will be a vital link between the academic world and the local business & creative communities; and anybody else interested in very low carbon design.

The building team are very keen to work with Brighton & Hove based companies to deliver this fascinating project in the Autumn before it is formally opened by Kevin McCloud. If you are interested in being involved, whether to help with the build or to donate money towards the fund-raising campaign, please visit their website where you can make a donation, catch up with progress on site and view a short film where Kevin McCloud & Duncan discuss why it is important to rebuild THTKB.

http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/business-and-community/the-house-that-kevin-built