The UK’s largest custom and self-build development, Graven Hill, is known for its unique and innovative homes; one of which has been awarded ‘Best Timber Frame’ at the Built It Awards 2020.
The Build It Awards are highly regarded within the self-build sector, setting a benchmark for future developments. The awards ceremony, which took place online on 27 November, celebrated the best self-build and renovation projects, products and services.
The Bicester-based property was one of eight shortlisted to win the award, highlighting the popularity of timber frame homes in the self-build community. Designed by A’Bear & Ball Architects for Zakima and Sam Omotayo, the award-winning home was celebrated for its overall aesthetic, efficiency, and use of timber as a structural system.
Richard Bacon MP commented, “The judges felt this was a compact, modest home with a great floor plan and a lovely mix of external materials completed for a very good build cost. You can see how you’d live here very comfortably.”
“What makes Graven Hill special is the flexibility and control you have when creating a home that fits your lifestyle and tastes,” says Karen Curtin, Managing Director at Graven Hill. “Sam and Zakima’s home is a textbook example of what imagination, drive, and a whole lot of passion can achieve.”
Zakima Omotayo, award-winning homeowner, Graven Hill said: “A timber frame structure was certainly the best choice for us. The fact that the frame was crafted in a controlled factory environment meant we could be certain that the finished result would be of the highest quality, giving us one less thing to worry about. Having the frame built offsite also led to less construction waste on site, keeping the environment clearer for us and our neighbours at Graven Hill.
“Choosing the timber frame route provided us with an environmentally friendly and contemporary home in just nine months, which was brilliant, as we couldn’t wait to move in.”
Graven Hill was also shortlisted for ‘Best Custom Build Project or Model’ and ‘Best Off-Site Manufactured Home’ in this year’s Build It Awards.
