By George these homes are a touch of class...
TV ARCHITECT UNVEILS NEW HOUSES ON TYNESIDE HE HAS DESIGNED
TOP TV architect George Clarke has unveiled a set of new houses he designed at the Smith’s Dock development in North Shields.
The former shipyard is being transformed in a major regeneration scheme led by Places for People and Urban Splash.
So far, 24 three-storey townhouses have already been built on the site – named The Plateau. These were constructed in a factory in the Midlands and transported to North Shields where they were fitted together.
Now ten more factory-built homes, called Fab Houses, have been completed nearby. These were designed by Sunderland-born star Mr Clarke, who is known for programmes such as Channel 4’s Restoration Man, The Great British Property Scandal and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.
The TV host allowed us to have a look around the houses and talked about his work.
Mr Clarke, who designed the units in conjunction with TDO Architecture, said: “For me, this is about making them genuinely as homely as possible.
“It’s been a lot of hard work - three years in research and development.
“The houses have been built in a factory and are very immaculate and highly engineered. I think they look amazing.
“I would never design a house that I wouldn’t want to live in myself. And I would happily move into one of these houses.”
The three-bedroom homes are open plan on the ground floor with a kitchen, dining and living room area. There are floor-to-ceiling windows with a garden area beyond, and there is also a downstairs toilet.
The staircase leads to the upper floor with three bedrooms and a bathroom.
The TV presenter, who grew up in Washington and studied architecture at Newcastle University, said: “I have gone for a classic modern look. The design is stylish, with a warm timber natural look.