Grand Designs: The Streets

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.

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

Under the leadership of architect Samppa Lappalainen, we follow the passion projects of house builders from the beginning, from the design table through construction stages and challenges to the finished dream home. Where did the old dreams start and what kind of work must be done to fulfill the dreams? And was all the hard work worth it?

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

Contemplate the "anti-art" spirit of Dadaism, its nihilistic yet humorous indictment of civilization and bizarre use of unconventional media. In the sensibility of Surrealism, observe its compelling focus on the subconscious and two substyles - dream imagery, with its juxtaposition of objects and settings, and "automatic drawing," eliciting unplanned images from the unconscious.

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...

Grand Designs Indoors is a spin-off of Grand Designs, with a similar format. As the name suggests, the series concentrates on the interior transformation of properties.

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.

Kevin McCloud follows an innovative community-led regeneration scheme in Castleford.

Une Maison, Un Artiste

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.

Hosted by Suzanne Whang, the show takes viewers behind the scenes as individuals, couples and families learn what to look for and decide whether or not a home is meant for them. Focusing on the emotional experience of finding and purchasing a new home, each episode follows a prospective buyer and real estate agent through the home-buying process, from start to finish.

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.

To find participants for the program Anders Öfvergård lived as a homeless in ten days, around the Greater Stockholm. He spent nights in public toilets, an illegal campsite and in a cellar. The idea for the program came when it hit him and his two colleagues from the production company Skare.

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?

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Our First Home's Goran Paladin and award-winning architect Ken Crosson are from two different worlds, yet they're united on a quest to discover the quintessential New Zealand home.

Volavky a predátoři

Design expert Kevin McCloud secures breathtaking vantage points from which to view impressive feats of architecture as he scales some of Britain's highest structures.