Kevin McCloud is back for the 25th series of the Channel 4 show, following the five-year-long journey of Zahid and Ferzana in East Yorkshire
Kevin McCloud with Zahid and Ferzana outside their build(Image credit: Channel 4)
The new series of Grand Designs has started with a couple taking on an ambitious transformation of an old coastguard station in East Yorkshire.
Of course, this is not your basic self build story. It quickly emerges that Zahid and Ferzana from Leeds, not only want to turn the old coastguard station into a family home, but they want the building to have an ambitious design too. Add to that extreme weather conditions and a tight budget, and it's already giving us flashbacks of the Grand Designs lighthouse.
Naturally, Kevin McCloud is there to offer his advice as the project flounders when the pandemic hits, and the build itself is fraught with issues.
A cantilevered, three-storey steel and glass box design
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The cantilevered design gives more outdoor space where the sea views are at their best on the plot(Image credit: Channel 4)
The steel and glass box design gives a unique profile to the home(Image credit: Channel 4)
The panoramic windows maximise the sea views(Image credit: Channel 4)
The home uses birdproof glass windows due to its exposed position(Image credit: Channel 4)
Zahid picked up the old coastguard station at a housing auction in Leeds, with the dream of transforming the defunct building into a family home for themselves, their three children and their grandchildren.
"We're going to rebuild it as a family home," Zahid tells Kevin McCloud in the first episode of the 25th series of the Channel 4 programme, as they visit the site on the coastal headland.
Their design is ambitious, with their plans including creating a cantilevered, three-storey steel and glass box. The idea behind the contemporary design is to make the most of the stunning sea views around the property.
"From the very get go this project will be tricky," explains Kevin McCloud. "To help the chunky cantilever defy gravity, Yusef and Zahid hope to drive concrete piles deep into the earth below and anchor their structure to hard rock, but as yet, they've no idea what lies underfoot."
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He adds: "A hundred and twenty-two pieces of steel will bolt together on this base, the top two floors jutting out nearly four metres to sea, which more than doubles the volume of its predecessor. The steel lattice will be infilled with blockwork and skinned in a crisp white render."
But with all that glass, and plenty of feathered wildlife, it is decided that special birdproof glass – which is also strong enough to withstand the strong winds that come with being positioned on an exposed coastal headland – is required.
"Glazed areas will be vast and will use an innovative bird friendly glass to reduce impacts. From old watch tower to new watch tower," McCloud explains.
Inverted living to capitalise on the sea views
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Large expanses of glass show off the extensive sea views of the property(Image credit: Channel 4)
The master bedroom also has stunning views across the coast(Image credit: Channel 4)
Pendant lights either side of the bed give a neat finish to the bedroom (Image credit: Channel 4)
Brass table lamps complement the lighting in the room(Image credit: Channel 4)
Bold dark units give a sleek look to the kitchen and dining area(Image credit: Channel 4)
Ceiling to floor units create a tidy feel to the kitchen diner area(Image credit: Channel 4)
The cream-coloured sofa is positioned in front of the large panoramic windows in the living room(Image credit: Channel 4)
The exterior of the building is not where Zahid's ingenuity ends. The home will have an inverted, upside-down layout so that a bedroom is in the lower, darker ground floor space of the house while the main living space is on the top floor.
"A bedroom and a bathroom will sit on both sides of the stairs, which will lead up to the family bathroom and Zahid and Ferzana's light filled bedroom with incomparable views," McCloud says, adding that Zahid's "industrial tastes" are tempered by Ferzana's "more comfortable approach" in the interiors.
"And saving the best for last, the top floor will be the family's living room and compact kitchen that bring you into the most exciting contact with the powerful presence of the sea and the natural world."
A tight £325,000 budget and 10-month build time
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The bathroom has a walk in shower as well as marble flooring and walls(Image credit: Channel 4)
Shiny pendant lighting over the dining table adds a sleek feel to the room (Image credit: Channel 4)
A mirrored splashback to the kitchen area reflects light into the dark space between the units(Image credit: Channel 4)
A lighthouse blends into the sea view backdrop(Image credit: Channel 4)
Mirrors and glassware add to the vibe of the living spaces(Image credit: Channel 4)
The floor to ceiling windows make the most of the uninterrupted coastal views(Image credit: Channel 4)
Their budget for the build is a tiny £325,000, and to save costs it is agreed that one of their children, their son, Yusef, who is in his twenties, will take on project managing the home. "I feel like my Dad has big concept ideas," Yusuf explains.
Giving their son this challenge will mean that Zahid and his wife Ferzana can continue to run their business at the same time as the build. This happens to be in building retail units in town centres, so there is some construction experience already there.
With such a tight budget, of course comes a tight deadline of only ten months. Will they make it? Of course not – and that is where many of the problems start and the build begins to unravel.
Challenges emerge as coastal site is exposed to high wind loads
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The site is exposed to the elements making it more tricky(Image credit: Channel 4)
Winds and wildlife pose problems with window design(Image credit: Channel 4)
Specialised glass is needed to cope with the environment(Image credit: Channel 4)
Right from the start, issues start to emerge, leaving Kevin McCloud questioning how they are going to make their design work.
The site itself is unlike any of the town centre sites they are used to building on. While many towns are sheltered, this coastal spot is exposed to the elements – and extremely strong winds.
The very high wind loads are a technical headache for the cantilevered design and large amounts of glass windows, as Kevin McCloud explains: "Bracing the structure to prevent movement on this windy bluff is going to be crucial."
Not only that, but the birdproof glass window contact is proving troublesome too.
More difficulties as their project manager takes a new job
It's always best to have an open and honest relationship with your tradesmen 😉#GrandDesigns pic.twitter.com/cJWkUHfFuGSeptember 25, 2024
When project manager, Yusef, makes a decision to leave for a career opportunity, Zahid picks up the lead of the build himself.
But, Zahid has a curious approach to the role that even he, by his own admission, says is a "nightmare," leaving the project on the brink. He insists on designing things without using detailed construction drawings, something McCloud highlights is rarely a recipe for build success.
"When are you going to produce the detailed drawings?" Kevin McCloud is heard asking Zahid during one of his visits. "When it's finished?"
"Probably," replies Zahid with a smile, leaving McCloud holding his head in his hands.
The pandemic them hits the build project and the couple's business, causing even more problems.
Questions over whether the build can ever be completed
From old watch tower to new watch tower. This clever cantilever defies gravity - with the top two levels jutting out four metres to sea 😲#GrandDesigns | @Kevin_McCloud pic.twitter.com/KGtZyorSSxSeptember 25, 2024
While the build started with a ten-month deadline, the couple are still building five years later. This leaves McCloud wondering whether the transformation of the old coastguard station on the East Yorkshire coastline will ever come to fruition.
But unlike other Grand Designs projects, there is an end in sight for this build. Four years over deadline and very much over budget, Zahid and Ferzana finally finish their incredible build, with McCloud hailing the transformation as "heroic" and the old coastguard station "reborn",
"This building still has the spirit of the coastguard's station about it. It's quite heroic the way that it looks out to sea that way. Goodness me, it's reborn," he says. "The building is of course impossible to ignore. The clean, white cube is part Miami Beach and part 1930s English Seaside."
Amy spent over a decade in London editing and writing for The Daily Telegraph, MailOnline, and Metro.co.uk before moving to East Anglia where she began renovating a period property in rural Suffolk. During this time she also did some TV work at ITV Anglia and CBS as well as freelancing for Yahoo, AOL, ESPN and The Mirror. When the pandemic hit she switched to full-time building work on her renovation and spent nearly two years focusing solely on that. She's taken a hands-on DIY approach to the project, knocking down walls, restoring oak beams and laying slabs with the help of family members to save costs. She has largely focused on using natural materials, such as limestone, oak and sisal carpet, to put character back into the property that was largely removed during the eighties. The project has extended into the garden too, with the cottage's exterior completely re-landscaped with a digger and a new driveway added. She has dealt with de-listing a property as well as handling land disputes and conveyancing administration.
