I’m not sure how many people are familiar with the popular TV show Grand Designs, which features unusual and often elaborate architectural homebuilding projects, but this coming Wednesday 21st November on Channel 4 in the UK, I’ll be making a special appearance in the show. I was filmed in my studio speaking about using my elegant modular synth set up to design the permanent sound installation to this unique concrete house in London, Vex.
I thought it might interest some people to see how such systems can be applied in very special situations. It feels especially exciting to sneak into such a popular show that so many folks watch, with some quite challenging music and ideas too. You should be able to watch the show back online afterwards too, in case you miss the broadcast of course.
More on the house here
And you can watch it back here after the broadcast
Well, it is in a sense, as you’ll be able to see the grand interior (if it remains in the edit that is)
Perhaps I’ll only be on for a minute but the viewership for this show is huge and any chance to share more exploratory ideas in such a public forum is exciting I find!
The house is amazing. Once a year there’s an Open House in London where you can visit the building, whilst the poor family has to move out for the weekend!
Just saw it, shame they didn’t give you more than a few seconds to show your work but good that they at least acknowledged it! Where can I hear the full track?
I’m going to put the release on Bandcamp today as well I think after a lot of interest
Whilst in the house itself meanwhile I made this recording, where I followed a kind of Alvin Lucier “I am Sitting in a Room” pattern where I played the sound back into the house and kept re-recording it. This, to me, is really how the piece should be experienced:
Was wondering why I hadn’t seen this house before but I see that it’s on the other side of the high street, closer to Clapton. Will keep an eye out for it if I happen to be passing by.
You can watch the episode back here. It’s the episode for House of the Year - Extreme Houses
Series 4 Episode 3
Kevin and his fellow judges visit an awe-inspiring set of cantilevered black boxes, a far-flung crofter’s cottage, a curvy concrete property, and a wedge house
I’m only for a brief moment as that’s how TV works but fun nevertheless!
Interesting house - I loved the top deck. Agree with above - would (of course) liked to have seen more of the studio. But what a great space to create in.
I’ve only just seen this thread but am a Grand Designs regular, so it was a lovely surprise to see you on the show. I ran through to tell my girlfriend that “Scanner’s on Grand Designs!” and then went off on one about how beautiful your studio looks Off to listen to the track now…
Thanks. It’s typical of TV unfortunately in terms of editing and in fact failing to tell the full story, i.e. the sound was commissioned by the architects to be a permanent part of the fabric of the house. And it’s the reason I generally decline invitations for TV as you are filmed for three hours, only for them to use 30 seconds!
Nice one, thanks! I do enjoy working on such extraordinary projects as this. The next one launching in two weeks time is a project sonification of soil through an App so you can measure the levels of quality in European soil. A Christmas Number One I suspect
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