One of Brighton’s examples of community self build which started in the late 1990s, this development of ten timber frame houses is based on the Walter SegalThe architect who devised a simple timber frame self build system (often simply known as 'Segal self build'. see more on the Segal method approach to construction. They incorporate high levels of Warmcell insulation and benefit from south facing solar gain. The living roofsA roof with a covering of soil or growing medium and plants. They tend to be divided into turf roofs with a 150mm layer of soil and sedum roofs with a thinner layer (about 40mm).
see Living RoofsA roof with a covering of soil or growing medium and plants. They tend to be divided into turf roofs with a 150mm layer of soil and sedum roofs with a thinner layer (about 40mm).
see Living Roofs are of Sedum.
Was really inspired by your cooperative, I see myself as building one for me, and two for daughters (for when they have their own families) – they’re 16 and 22, I’m 46 so want my family to be rockin’ when grandchildren come; spread out over a hectare.
What are your top 10 ‘If I knew what I know now, I’d do this…….differently’?
i have just watched this episode featuring the coop housing, is anyone aware of any other similar schems i could join ? im desperate to put an affordable roof over my kids head. thanks
I have watched with more than a little interest your self build.Being an ex Brighton renter who has found himself with twenty acres to build a similar house such as yours on,I know lucky batsard but life pushes us in interesting directions.Do you know of any plans available for free.What a great job you all did congratulations.
Inexpensive post and beam houses with sensible passive solar features are nothing new and there are thousands of surviving examples in the US, built from the 1940s onward with breezewa
ys, sensible overhanging eaves etc. They were deemed obsolete when the aircon salesmen got going in the 1970s but today look like admirable examples of ‘green’ building, with methods worth reviving and upgrading to passivhaus standard or similar. Plenty
of examples on this admirable website
this is a typical small post and beam kit cabin; and the ‘gone but not forgotten’ section of this website shows many imaginative solutions to post war housing shortages in the US, using post and beam, some of very fine architectural quality and well worth studying -
have a look at Bert King, Mason Hicks, Sprinkle [and Stanley]
Jim and John Webb, Don Stewart and many others. These ‘midcentury modern ranch style houses’ could be built very cheaply and would easily be adaptable to high standards of insulation, mounting of solar panels and so forth
In Australia I just saw Kevin’s update on the houses. Wonderful. I’d seen the other scheme where the work counted as a deposit to buy the finished house. I wish these people could have done this and hope one day they will be able to buy their beautiful homes. It does go to show how one man, Paul, could be passionate enough to get the whole scheme started and work through all problems to a satisfactory end.
I recently watched a repeat of the Channel 4 ‘Grand Designs’ programme covering the Hedgehog Housing Co-op’s development at Brighton in the late 1990′s.
I was involved in a group self build housing project in Milton Keynes during 1987/89 and wonder if I could get more information on the Hedgehog Co-op, relating to how the ‘sweat equity’ benefited the co-op members and how things have subsequently been completed on site.
In my opinion, I think the TV programme fell a bit short of following the scheme to completion. It is my hope that the development will be re-visited by Grand Designs as it is particularly pertinent to the needs of today.
On our the self build we had to put in a minimum of 24 hours each weekend and up to 6 hours extra in the summer months, in addition to working full time in our day jobs. I would like to contact a representative of hedgehog Co-op, if possible, to share experiences. Could that be arranged? I can be contacted at stevegsmithmk@aol.com
Hi Justin, Hi Mike,
The houses were actually designed by an architects practice called Architype, mentioned above. This web site has nothing to do with them and nothing to do with Hedgehog housing Co-op.
Cheers
Bob
I saw the episode of Grand Designs that showcased your development and was very impressed, not onyl at the buildings themselves but at your individual efforts. I was wondering if the plans are available for these buildings. I intend to build my own home – particularly if I can get decent plans like the houses you built.
Was really inspired by your cooperative, I see myself as building one for me, and two for daughters (for when they have their own families) – they’re 16 and 22, I’m 46 so want my family to be rockin’ when grandchildren come; spread out over a hectare.
What are your top 10 ‘If I knew what I know now, I’d do this…….differently’?
Many thanks
Teuila
i have just watched this episode featuring the coop housing, is anyone aware of any other similar schems i could join ? im desperate to put an affordable roof over my kids head. thanks
I have watched with more than a little interest your self build.Being an ex Brighton renter who has found himself with twenty acres to build a similar house such as yours on,I know lucky batsard but life pushes us in interesting directions.Do you know of any plans available for free.What a great job you all did congratulations.
http://www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/architects.html
Inexpensive post and beam houses with sensible passive solar features are nothing new and there are thousands of surviving examples in the US, built from the 1940s onward with breezewa
ys, sensible overhanging eaves etc. They were deemed obsolete when the aircon salesmen got going in the 1970s but today look like admirable examples of ‘green’ building, with methods worth reviving and upgrading to passivhaus standard or similar. Plenty
of examples on this admirable website
If no luck with Hillier and Architype the following web-pages may stimulate alternative ideas -
http://www.linwoodhomes.com/house-plans/plans/Ontario/
this is a typical small post and beam kit cabin; and the ‘gone but not forgotten’ section of this website shows many imaginative solutions to post war housing shortages in the US, using post and beam, some of very fine architectural quality and well worth studying -
http://www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/architects.html
have a look at Bert King, Mason Hicks, Sprinkle [and Stanley]
Jim and John Webb, Don Stewart and many others. These ‘midcentury modern ranch style houses’ could be built very cheaply and would easily be adaptable to high standards of insulation, mounting of solar panels and so forth
In Australia I just saw Kevin’s update on the houses. Wonderful. I’d seen the other scheme where the work counted as a deposit to buy the finished house. I wish these people could have done this and hope one day they will be able to buy their beautiful homes. It does go to show how one man, Paul, could be passionate enough to get the whole scheme started and work through all problems to a satisfactory end.
I recently watched a repeat of the Channel 4 ‘Grand Designs’ programme covering the Hedgehog Housing Co-op’s development at Brighton in the late 1990′s.
I was involved in a group self build housing project in Milton Keynes during 1987/89 and wonder if I could get more information on the Hedgehog Co-op, relating to how the ‘sweat equity’ benefited the co-op members and how things have subsequently been completed on site.
In my opinion, I think the TV programme fell a bit short of following the scheme to completion. It is my hope that the development will be re-visited by Grand Designs as it is particularly pertinent to the needs of today.
On our the self build we had to put in a minimum of 24 hours each weekend and up to 6 hours extra in the summer months, in addition to working full time in our day jobs. I would like to contact a representative of hedgehog Co-op, if possible, to share experiences. Could that be arranged? I can be contacted at stevegsmithmk@aol.com
Many thanks
Steve
Hi Justin, Hi Mike,
The houses were actually designed by an architects practice called Architype, mentioned above. This web site has nothing to do with them and nothing to do with Hedgehog housing Co-op.
Cheers
Bob
Hi I have the same interest as justin and would like to see some of te plans or be pointe at a site wher i can get some
or indeed justin if ypu could help
thanks mike
Hi there
I saw the episode of Grand Designs that showcased your development and was very impressed, not onyl at the buildings themselves but at your individual efforts. I was wondering if the plans are available for these buildings. I intend to build my own home – particularly if I can get decent plans like the houses you built.
many thanks
Justin