Big Design Adventure

Tim and Kevin head to Melbourne for a special conversation with celebrated Australian designer Mary Featherston in her groundbreaking home, designed by Robin Boyd in 1967 - an intergenerational house where family life and creative work have been intertwined for almost six decades. One of Australia’s most influential voices in design, Mary reflects on the evolution of her home over nearly 60 years with wisdom, generosity and razor-sharp insight. While her early career is best known for her furniture collaborations with her husband, Grant Featherston, Mary has more recently focused on creating progressive learning environments for children. In this conversation, she generously shares the ideas and philosophies that have shaped that work. Joining Tim and Kevin is Mary’s son, Julian Featherston, who also lives in the house and led the recent alterations that have ensured this remarkable home will continue to serve the Featherston family for many years to come. To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia. The Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudGuests: Mary Featherston and Julian FeatherstonBig Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim and Kevin head to Perth to meet businesswoman, arts patron and National Living Treasure Janet Holmes à Court AC inside her extraordinary private gallery housed in a former paint factory. Janet’s gallery is open to the public and her belief that art should be seen by everyone is central to the generosity she shows as an indefatigable champion of the arts in Australia. This is an illuminating conversation about the intersection of art and architecture, the unique nature of Western Australian culture, and then some totally random stuff that is also going to make you happy. Janet is fab. You will love her. To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia. The Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudGuest: Janet Holmes à Court AC (gallery.hac)Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s quite a large amount of your emails in the Manila folder, and it’s time to get through them. We have questions, corrections and some rather bonkers observations. We are also looking to launch the most ridiculous extension to the podcast that anyone could imagine. A rather large small clue is in the graphic above. Rate, subscribe and give yourself a high five. Neil Clerehan audio courtesy of Traces Films https://www.tracesfilms.com To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudBig Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim and Kevin take a road trip down to Anglesea, on Victoria’s Surf Coast, to visit architect John Wardle at Burnt Earth Beach House, his award-winning holiday home. Described by his peers as “the architect’s architect”, John is the recipient of the Gold Medal, Australian architecture’s highest honour. He’s also a collector of things, people and ideas, and this is on full display as he not only opens up his house but his curious mind in this revealing conversation about why craft still matters, why his house is full of op shop treasures, and why designing good houses can be so difficult. You really should be listening by now :) John Wardle is an internationally renowned architect and the founder of Wardle, which has studios in Sydney and Melbourne. The work of Wardle is tailored to place and highly experiential in nature. Diverse in scale and typology, its portfolio spans domestic dwellings, university and healthcare buildings, museums and large commercial offices. The practice has won national and international awards for education, residential and civic design. John speaks regularly at national and international conferences. He maintains strong ties to the Australian arts community and academia. He is an adjunct professor at the University of South Australia, and an honorary professorial fellow in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at the University of Melbourne. Burnt Earth Beach House combines material invention, experimentation and collaboration with accomplished placemaking. This is a multi-generational home that utilises terracotta in two primary forms – through the exterior brickwork, and internally to line walls, floors and joinery elements. The broadly cruciform plan describes view lines and daylight ingress precisely. Facing north, the views are to the Southern Ocean and the surrounding landscape. The governing lines of the plan mark the centre point of the ‘X’ as the island kitchen bench. It is both literally and figuratively the heart of this home. From here, all social activity spills out into living and dining areas on the ground floor. The colour and tonality of the cliff edges in Anglesea are expressed in the use of an invented brick. The extensive process involved extrusion and hand-tearing the brick surface prior to cutting, which exposes a raw, rough-hewn texture. A series of glazing experiments applied to raw clay before single firing are revealed in different sections of the building. Unglazed bricks blend with green and brown glazed bricks, which broadly align with the extensive planting of coastal banksias surrounding the property. Spotted gum timber is used carefully in varying formats – recycled (flooring), veneer (joinery) and sparingly as solid (windows and revealed structure in areas). The robust natural materials of the limited palette are durable and will weather to a natural tonality. To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudGuest: John Wardle (@wardle.studio)Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin on the dance floor? The ultimate 1970s party house is on the menu as Tim and Kev hit the Perth suburb of Dianella to visit one of the city’s most talked-about homes. Designed by Bulgarian-born architect Iwan Iwanoff in 1976, the Marsala House is a sculptural, concrete-block Brutalist wonderland that boasts a Saturday Night Fever-style dance floor. The current owner, Greg, flings open the doors to reveal the stories of this iconic house. Iwan Iwanoff (1919–1986) was a Bulgarian-born architect who trained in Munich before emigrating to Western Australia in 1950, where he worked with Krantz & Sheldon and later established his own practice in 1963. Known primarily for residential work, his early designs were influenced by post-war modernism, but from the mid-1960s he developed a distinctive, sculptural style using modelled concrete blockwork. Combining expressive forms with rational planning, his later houses - such as the Marsala and Tomich houses - read as bold works of architecture that verge on abstract sculpture. There’s a couple of great Iwanoff books:Perth born photographer Jack Lovel has documented many of his homes in this excellent publication – Catching Light – robinboyd.org.au/product/catching-light Warren Anderson definitive Iwanoff book is a must read – The Architecture of Iwan Iwanoff – crowbooks.com.au To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudGuests: Greg Eastwood and Vespa EastwoodBig Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when two young architects build their own home with little money but plenty of ideas? Tim and Kev head to London’s Hampstead to visit Patty Hopkins, one of Britain’s most influentialarchitects and the co-founder of Hopkins Architects, the practice she started with her late husbandMichael in 1976. For this very special interview she opens the doors to the iconic glass and steel home the pair designed for themselves that same year. It remains one of the most compelling residential examples of High-Tech architecture, a style that celebrates technology by exposing structural elements like steel frames, ducts and services as part of the design. In 1994 Patty became only the third woman to receive the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture from theRoyal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and in this intimate conversation she shares the story of herradical house, the practice she built with Michael, and the quiet wisdom that comes from a life inarchitecture.  You can read more about the house here – hopkins.co.uk Here’s a great new book about High Tech British architecture: High Tech Britian – c20society.org.uk And the video Tim and Kevin talk about by Ned featuring Nick Grimshaw can be found via this link: Vimeo To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudGuest: Patty Hopkins (@hopkinsarchitects)Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim and Kev head to Melbourne to visit Ben Shewry, the chef behind the world-famous restaurant Attica, who lives in the 1966 home designed by émigré architect Ernest Fooks. Ben, who has a deep passion for architecture and design, had long admired the house from afar, but he never thought he’d actually own it. In this episode, he not only flings open the door to his incredible heritage-listed home, but he shares the story of how he ended up living in his dream mid-century modern home. A natural storyteller, Ben effortlessly draws parallels between cooking and architecture, and reveals his long-standing passion for chair collecting in this wide-ranging chat in one of Melbourne’s finest houses. The Chef: Ben Shewry is a New Zealand–born Australian chef and owner-executive chef of Attica. Since taking over in 2005, he has made Attica one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, known for native Australian ingredients and deeply personal storytelling. Shewry was featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table in 2017, which profiled his creative philosophy and journey. You can check out his restaurant website attica.com.au and get his best selling book here: Uses ForObsession Follow Ben on Instagram here: @benshewry The Architect: Ernest Fooks (1906–1985) was an Austrian-born architect who helped shape postwarmodernism in Melbourne. Trained in Vienna, he fled Nazi Europe and brought continental ideas offunctional planning and light-filled design to Australia. Fooks designed houses, civic buildings andsynagogues, and later became a respected educator and town-planning advocate in Victoria. You can find out more about the house on Docomomo Australia. To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudGuest: Ben ShewryBig Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can you imagine living in a museum? Tim and Kev head to Surrey to visit The Homewood, the modernist masterpiece Patrick Gwynnedesigned for his family in the late 1930s. Completed in 1938, The Homewood is one of the mostremarkable examples of pre-war modernist architecture in Britain. Gwynne later gifted the house to the National Trust in 1999, with the stipulation that someone must live in it and that it be opened to the public for part of the year. That person is Lou, whose family has called it home since 2004 while welcoming visitors inside thisextraordinary piece of living history. I bet you’ve got questions already. We certainly did - and we’ve probably asked most of them in thisfascinating interview, recorded around Gwynne’s own custom-made round dining table. Thanks to Lou and The National Trust for assisting with this episode. You can learn more about the house and when you can visit here on their website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/the-homewood To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudGuest: Louise ScottBig Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re back with Series Two! Tim and Kevin head to Birmingham to explore a city defined by industry, reinvention and the homeof Peaky Blinders, Black Sabbath and ELO. Over tea and biscuits with journalist and campaigner Mary Keating, they examine the fight to save theSmallbrook Ringway Centre, one of Europe’s longest modernist buildings and a rare surviving example of Birmingham’s post-war ambition. In the decades following the Second World War, Birmingham was radically reshaped by modern planning and the rise of the car. New roads, new civic buildings and bold architectural experiments transformed the city, reflecting a belief that modern design could deliver progress, efficiency and optimism. Today, many of these - particularly brutalist - buildings are under threat, dismissed as outdated or expendable. The Ringway Centre sits at the heart of this debate, raising the question of whether a city’s confidence can determine which buildings survive. Follow Brutiful Birmingham (@brutifulbirmingham) and Birmingham Modernist (@birminghammodernist) on Instagram. To view images from this episode, head to our Instagram page - @big_design_adventureAnd be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1)We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.comKnow someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.   Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloudGuest: Mary KeatingBig Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.Executive Producer: Shelley KempAudio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk MediaMusic: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this mini episode we’ve got huge news about the final show for the year and we answer our most asked question. For questions and suggestions for our Christmas episode, shoot us an email to hello@bigdesignadventure.com For suggestions of places and stories for Series 2, shoot us an email to hello@bigdesignadventure.com Tickets are now on sale for Kevin McCloud and Tim Ross – Live in Interesting Places –check out the details on our website – http://bigdesignadventure.com/ You can find pictures and videos on our Instagram page - @big_design_adventure  And be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1) We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.com  Know someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.    Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloud Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.  Executive Producer: Shelley Kemp  Audio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk Media  Video Production: Ned Williams Music: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In answering all your burning questions, Kevin reveals his one-sided feud with Jay Kay from Jamiroquai. There are a few mea culpas along the way as we tackle your criticisms and wonder if design can save us in a world without the communal joy of watching shows like Sale of the Century. Oh, and we’ve got a HUGE announcement to make!   You can check out Kev on Top Gear’s You Tube channel here: https://youtu.be/vpLq6rGwzpY?si=a4FOeL6cWGhP8A3b   Simon sent us some wonderful links including:    The chairs of Doctor Who - https://pinkforyouractualpterodactyl.com/2021/06/20/the-chairs-of-doctor-who-1963-89/    The chairs of Blake 7 - https://watchingblakes7.wordpress.com/2019/06/18/the-chairs-of-blakes-7/    The furnishings of Space 1999 - https://catacombs.space1999.net/main/models/wrefmp.html    You can find pictures and videos on our Instagram page - @big_design_adventure  And be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1) We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.com  Know someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.    Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloud Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.  Executive Producer: Shelley Kemp  Audio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk Media  Video Production: Ned Williams Music: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when you mix modernism, espionage, and a few Bauhaus legends in one London apartment block? You get the Isokon Building. Tim and Kev head to North London to visit the legendary 1934 modernist icon designed by Wells Coates and developed by Jack and Molly Pritchard. Once home to Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, Agatha Christie and a bunch of spies, Isokon was a radical experiment in minimalist living that has stood the test of time. You can find pictures and videos on our Instagram page - @big_design_adventure  And be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1) We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.com  Know someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.    Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloud Guest: Magnus Englund (@isokongallery) Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.  Executive Producer: Shelley Kemp  Audio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk Media  Video Production: Ned Williams Music: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can you imagine finding out online that your grandfather wanted you to live in his iconic house after he was gone? That’s what happened to Frances Martin, the granddaughter of legendary New Zealand ceramicists Bruce and Estelle Martin. Tim and Kev take a trip to Napier to visit the Martin House and chat with Frances about living in her 1960s John Scott home in Hawke’s Bay. This is a great New Zealand film about John Scott’s work that features the Martin House (which Kevin referenced.) https://youtu.be/_0Y2US7TpsY?si=YRZQyuO6vB8RAwCp    You can find pictures and videos on our Instagram page - @big_design_adventure  And be sure to follow Tim Ross (@modernister) and Kevin McCloud (@kevin.mccloud1) We’d love to hear from you, reach out to us on hello@bigdesignadventure.com  Know someone who would love this podcast? Please help us share this exciting new adventure.    Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by Space Furniture (@spacefurniture), the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia, Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand.    Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloud Guest: Frances Martin (@franceshmartin) Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.  Executive Producer: Shelley Kemp  Audio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk Media  Video Production: Ned Williams Music: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.