Findlay won the 2001 architectural competition run by RIBA to design the manor's main house, the "new Grafton Hall," to create a "new modern country house." Permission for its implementation was received already in 2002, which was very important: since 1997 in Britain houses in rural areas can only be built according to projects of "high architectural quality", which becomes a serious obstacle to the implementation of the "substandard" options recognized by the authorities. At the same time, architects receiving permission from government agencies usually present projects in the spirit of neo-modernism (like the recent work of David Chipperfield or "Future Systems").
But now, after the starfish-like house designed by Catherine Findlay did not find a customer willing to invest in this avant-garde project, Robert Adam presented his proposal for the construction of Grafton Hall. His Georgian manor house is also of high quality architecture, and - as required by law - is quite innovative, the architect believes. According to him, he used an unusual modification of the Corinthian capital in the project, and also changed the profile of the column base. Also among the undoubted advantages of the future building is its high energy activity: with the help of Atelier Ten engineers, Adam supplied it with solar panels, wind turbines, a heating system using ground heat, etc. All this allows us to hope that the house will receive a British level 5 certificate for “green dwellings.
Otherwise, Adam's project is quite traditional, which is in line with his credo as an architect - and pretentious: this is a complex of almost 3,000 square meters. m with eight bedrooms, a library, a cinema room, a swimming pool, gymnasium, stables and servants' quarters. Around there is a park and grounds with an area of 40 hectares, another 40 hectares are planned to be acquired in the future by the project customer - a financier from the City of London, who wished to remain incognito. The project budget is £ 16 million.
However, experts from the development agency who advised Adam during the work on Grafton Hall do not consider the failure of Findlay's project indicative of the future of architecture. In their opinion, many people find it difficult to imagine on the basis of drawings how such a house would “work” in reality, but if it were built, there would be a buyer. As for the "traditional" version of Robert Adam, the Georgian style remains a favorite with the agency's wealthy clients buying houses in the countryside.
It should be noted that Adam's "victory" over the avant-garde is now especially relevant for him: a few months ago, together with Quinlan Terry, he opposed the RIBA leadership, which, in their opinion, is pursuing a policy of "style fascism", completely ignoring the construction of various prizes. " traditional "architecture. Then he received no official reaction to his criticism.
