The New Zealand Home

Following three iconic train journeys from the air and on the ground, we discover the iconic landscapes of New Zealand, a country with the geographic diversity of an entire continent. On the way we learn about the extra-ordinary construction challenges of the 4,000 kilometre network.

Master carpenter Simon Parfett and his team help families, couples and retirees cash in on untapped, income-generating potential in their unused or underused spaces by creating their own unique B&B.

A documentary series profiling architects who are using design as a form of activism and resistance to tackle the world’s urban, environmental and social crises. The series follows architects from Vietnam, Nigeria, Spain, Pakistan, Israel/Occupied West Bank and Brazil who believe architecture can do more than iconic towers and luxury flats – turning away from elite “starchitecture” to design for the majority.

Retrace some of NZ's darkest days to reveal the stories, secrets and lessons learnt from our most famous disasters. 

While scams have always been around, the internet means the number of people falling for them is rising exponentially. Nigel Latta shows us different types of scams and the specific traits that make us vulnerable to being ripped off!

The fascinating and dramatic stories behind some of the grandest designs never built.

Exactly 100 years ago, the world of the British manor house was at its height. It was a life of luxury and indolence for a wealthy few supported by the labor of hundreds of servants toiling ceaselessly "below stairs" to make the lives of their lords and ladies run as smoothly as possible. It is a world that has provided a majestic backdrop to a range of movies and popular costume dramas to this day, including PBS' "Downton Abbey." But what was really going on behind these stately walls? "Secrets of the Manor House" looks beyond the fiction to the truth of what life was like in these British houses of yesteryear. They were communities where two separate worlds existed side by side: the poor worked as domestic servants, while the nation’s wealthiest families enjoyed a lifestyle of luxury, and aristocrats ruled over their servants as they had done for a thousand years.

Kevin McCloud follows households as they embark on an epic mission to construct their own homes, creating brand-new streets in Britain's biggest self-build project

Having spent the best part of 10 years talking about buildings, getting excited about new technologies and materials, plus critiquing the emotional journey of more than 50 Grand Designers – finally, it's time to turn the tables on Kevin McCloud's traditional role and watch him build his own house. But, clearly it won't be that straightforward...

British television series which features unusual and often elaborate architectural homebuilding projects.

Karl returns to New Zealand for a 7 week road trip around both the North and South Island in this 2 part documentary series.

Une Maison, Un Artiste

Discover how Singapore's architects and futurists plan to radically transform the city in response to the daunting challenges it faces.

A follow-up to the 1990 Radio 4 series in which the late Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine travelled around the world in search of endangered species. 20 years later Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine go back to see what has become of the animals in two decades, and to discover what has affected their fortunes.

Billy Connolly is back with the fourth in his massively popular World Tour series. This time Billy journey's to the other side of the globe to New Zealand, a country he has been visiting since the 1970s and of which he is immensely fond. Billy's extraordinary journey covers the length and breadth of New Zealand and is mixed with the best of his comedy from sell-out shows around the country.Filmed in 2004 during the first leg of his Too Old To Die Young Tour this series is a stunning journey around New Zealand's two islands from the Southern-most tip to the far north where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific. Along the way Billy takes in Maori traditions, sand paintings, whale-watching, a 90 mile beach and much more to give us a fascinating insight into the spectacular scenery, culture and people of this amazing country.

They are some of the world’s all-time greatest building projects. Most have stood the test of time, but with today’s technology, could they be duplicated and done better?

The series Houses of Art takes viewers to places where great artists lived, worked, and found inspiration. It is in these settings that masterpieces were created and personal dramas unfolded—offering a cinematic journey of discovery through the landmarks of European art history. Far from the bustle of the world, artists found creative momentum in homes that still bear the imprint of their genius today, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe.

Kiwiland

The enormous popularity of recent British dramas such as Downton Abbey, Mr. Selfridge, and Sherlock, has led to vast interest in the real-life stories and history of the icons of Great Britain. Each episode of this series visits a famous British building or institution to explore its past and present, meeting a wide range of experts and historians along the way.

Kevin McCloud presents Grand Designs Abroad. The stakes are higher, the risks are multiplied, and the ambition - to build your dream home in the perfect European location - is greater than ever.