Overview
Great news design aficionados, charismatic television presenter Kevin McCloud is heading to Auckland next month to talk architecture and design.
Initially training at Cambridge University in the history of art and architecture, he later became a designer before going on to create the hugely popular show Grand Designs, in which he accompanies people on the often emotional and arduous journey of building their dream home.
Interestingly, Grand Designs has a larger following per capita here than in McCloud’s native home of England. In a recent Campbell Live interview he put this down to the fact building your own home is more achievable in our sparsely populated country but it no doubt also has a lot to do with how articulately and truthfully he narrates the programme.
He has also received critical acclaim for spin off projects such as the 2009 four part series, the Grand Tour of Europe and his Slumming It documentary about the Mumbai slums of Dharavi under threat from developers, which recently screened on local television.
In his one Auckland show McCloud will share visuals with commentary of the work he has been doing through his company Hab (Happiness Architecture Beauty) which aims to build sustainable, contextual and community-focused housing in England.
Audience members will almost certainly also be keen to hear his views on the challenges facing Christchurch, which he hopes to visit during his four day stay in the country.
Encouraging the city to preserve the “layers of history” is high on his agenda, which entails not only focusing attention on rebuilding a few historic monuments but also thinking carefully before demolishing unprotected architecture from years gone by.
McCloud’s good intent and passion for what he does is infectious and if you are lucky enough to attend the event, you will undoubtedly be in for an entertaining and insightful evening.