The commuter haven is hardly known for its cutting-edge architecture. So how did a California-style dwelling end up in its tranquil streets? Our writer explores an inspirational build
It is surprising, for a profession dedicated to erecting very large, very expensive and very durable structures, that architects are never taught how to actually build. In the five years of education in Britain, there is the occasional module on structural principles and the odd lecture on bricks, but most students graduate without a clue how to build a building.
So when you encounter that rare species of architect who has worked on a building site, it shows. Design decisions take into account the practicalities of how things go together, rather than an idealised image being handed over for others to resolve. Such things as the weight of a breeze block and the process of hand-trowelling a concrete floor are given due consideration, as are ways of saving time and money.
