Grand Designs meets Ferris Bueller

He’s back, that’s right, everyone’s favourite architectural host extraordinaire Kevin McCloud is touring Australia with his “The World According to Kevin” show. After many trips to Australia, he’s finally making his way to Tasmania (Wrest Point Casino, Tuesday 25th February). The most recent episode screened in Australia over the weekend was on North Cornwall couple Harry and Briony Anscombe who wanted a replica of the Ben Rose House from the 1980’s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The UK couple got close to their dream, however minor modifications were needed due to budget. Overall they did a pretty good job with the modifications which they felt gave their property a personal twist on the original design by A. James Speyer. The original home from this 1980’s cult classic in Highland Park, Illinois sold for $1.06M in 2014 which is a lot less than the asking price of $2.3M in 2009. It’s not just famous because it was that house of Ferris’s friend Cameron Fright (the scene of the Ferrari been kicked out of the window is priceless) it’s also famous in its own right. So we thought in honour of Mr McCloud we’d take a closer look at what is also known as the Ben Rose Pavilion House designed by A. James Speyer in 1953. It’s hard to believe this 4 bedroom house was a struggle to sell, I mean it was in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and by a world renowned architect, but that wasn’t enough, why?
Floor-to-ceiling windows make it expensive to heat. Photo: Supplied
Whilst the design created a magnificent floating immersion into the stark beauty of the Illinios landscape with floor-to-ceiling windows on nearly every wall (a unique design aesthetic inspired by “The Glass Pavilion House” by Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe) it does not take into account the extreme cold weather that Illinois experiences. It seems buyers rate cozy cold-weather comfort and energy cost cutting above glacial iconic design.
1953 Ben Rose House. Ferrari waiting to be kicked out the window. Photo: Supplied.
Harry and Briony Anscombe house in North Cornwall. Photo: Grand Designs Magazine.
Melissa Lockley, Arts Correspondant TheNews.com.au