Fearing the future? The Apocalypse of 2012? End of the World? Or maybe just down-right paranoid?

This “safe house” design by KWK Promes is a home for the anyone who wants ultimate security and perhaps needs to see someone to talk about their issues.

Regardless of the reason for the design, the fact that such a building exists is an architectural feat worth mentioning. It’s clean, modernistic and minimalistic exterior, flush with ample open space created by 70% of the the building having windows would be a beautiful country home for anyone who could afford it.

Below you will see, what appears to be protruding wall additions that are “just part of the home design. Instead, these are massive slabs of reinforced concrete mechanically attached to the walls for… wait for it…  lock down.

Massive steel shutters are used to cover the front entrance of the home.

A drawbridge? Now we have seen it all. If you don’t want your mother in-law coming in, this house is for you.

So, if it is the end of the world and all looks grim. Just set your GPS coordinates to this home and here you will find planet earth making its last stand against the heaviest of all enemy forces.

That being said, this structure is amazing.

Moving homes like these are equipped with home cinemas, full scale kitchen, multiple bedrooms and bathroom and some even have a swimming pool (lookout for the pot-holes!)

The cost of a moving home can be anywhere from £150,000 to £1000,000.

Gerard Butler

A beautiful open loft in a converted manufacturing warehouse, in Manahattan’s Chealsea neighborhood, designed by architect Alexander Gorlin and film designer Elvis Resaino. The living space looks on the Empire State Building.

Patricia Heaton & David Hunt

Actress Patricia Heaton and her husband David Hunt share with their four sons a 192s house in Los Angeles’s Hancock Parrk area. House is being designed by Babe Johnson and Ellen Geerer.

Cher

Together with interior designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard Cher created her apartment perched high above Los Angeles.

Sheryl & Rob Lowe

On the California coast, near Santa Barbara, Actor Rob Lowe and his wife with the help of architect Don Nulty built theri dream house.

Joshua Bell

Classical violinist Joshua Bell aparment not only is a linving speace but also a concert hall, this is the idea of the musician when he designed the apartment with the help of architect Charles Rose.

Jennifer Aniston

Located in Beverly Hills is the residence of actress Jennifer Aniston, designed by Stphen Shadley. The house was a 1970 creation of Harol W. Levitt.

Sir Elton John & David Furnish

Martyn Lawrence designed this apartment in L.A 70s style for Sir Elton John and his partner filmmaker David Furnish.

Kimberly & Dennis Quaid

Dennis Quaid shares with his wife and their twins a 15-room house in Los Angeles’s Rustic Canyon. The living room was designed by John and Krista Everage.

Demi Moore & Ashton Kutcher

Demi Moore and Ashton Lutcher renovated this 1950s canyonside house in Beverly Hills, interiors were designed by decorator Brad Dunning.

Anjelica Huston

Actress and Director Anjelica Huston decorated this this ranch in California’s Central Valley and she has furnished the living room with an assortment of pieces from movies locations and at swamp meets.

Diane Keaton

Actress, director and producer Diane Keaton’s Spanish Colonial Revival home in Beverly Hills was renovated by  designer Stephen Shadley. This house was built in the 1920s by architect Ralph Flewelling.

Sting & Trudie Styler

Lee F. Mindel, and restoration architect Anthony Close-Smith renovated this early 18th-century townhouse in London for Sting and his wife, actress and producer Trudie Styler.

For a full explanation on the use of 3D renderings, check this article: What is 3D Rendering?

Below you will see a vast range of 3D rendering models for inspiration.

Image credits to Ristrutturazioni Roma

You can add all sorts of interesting aspects to the designing, building, refurbishing and decorating aspects of your home by bringing outdoor elements inside your home.

Window Light

Consider an empty room with a window. One approach is to fill it with some functional furniture, decorate the window with curtains and add some decor with a coordinated color scheme. Good. Now consider what this same room would be like if the window, or the element of light, became the focus. The following images from the web illustrate how featuring windows can change your home.

Other ways to work with the elements

While changing how light is featured makes the foremost difference in a home, there are other ways to incorporate outdoor elements into your interior decor.

Plants

Plant stand side table

Use a plant stand with an outdoorsy, rustic touch as a side table for your coffee and book.

Or as a stand for a collection of magazines. Plant stands are relatively inexpensive and can be re-purposed for many uses indoors.

Tree branch stand for jewelry and other hanging items

Paint a small tree branch, plant it in an indoor pot filled with a bed of rocks or pebbles, and use it as a jewelry stand or a place to hang keys in the entryway.

Tree branches on your walls

Water Elements

Fountains

The sound of water is known for its soothing effects. Adding a fountain is a simple way to incorporate the element of water into your interior, and they are available in all sizes to fit any room.

Just remember, you can always find a way to celebrate the aesthetic aspects of the outdoors by incorporating into your home- whether with light, plants and flowers, water or a combination of them all!

If you’re looking to decorate an Asian-inspired home, it’s important to remember that the Asian style draws from many regions, including China, Japan, and Thailand to name a few. For interior design purposes, Asian style usually refers to either Japanese or Chinese influences, as they are very different. Japanese style is more calming and minimal in terms of furniture and decorative elements, while the Chinese uses bright colors and more detailed, dramatic decor.

Furniture

Streamlined, functional furniture fits the Japanese design style. The pieces are minimal both in terms of number as well as appearance. Designing a Japanese-inspired home involves adopting a mind-set of Zen principles, which strive for a calm, clear and open state of mind. How does that translate into interior design? Take away the clutter in a room, reduce the color palette (think water and earth tones) and clear the walls and floor areas (no brightly colored area rugs or paintings). Walls can be a rich color, such as a chocolate brown or natural green, as long as they maintain the room’s earthy feel.

Hardwood floors and Tatami mats (made of rice and covering large areas), serve as traditional Japanese flooring. Furniture and accessories that sit lower to the floor help maintain a spaciousness, as opposed to large, imposing tables and sofas. Pillows can even be used for seating.

Any space should feel as open as possible, so translucent partitions called Shoji screens are a popular way to divide a room or provide privacy.

Sunlight easily diffuses through a Shoji screen, and they work well in covering unsightly window views without dampening any natural lighting. Furniture with flexibility keeps the flow relaxed; futons change from sofa to bed, Shoji screens can be moved depending on their immediate use, and pillows rearrange easily for comfortable seating.

Chinese design is bold and dramatic, ideal for those who want vibrancy in their home. Several ornate pieces of carved furniture coated in a glossy black or red lacquer make the statement, often with some gold decoration and hand-painted oriental designs.

Filling a room with too many stylized, striking pieces can be overwhelming and uninviting (as with the below photo), so choose one or two, and then use plain, dark wood furniture as a complement.

Walls can be painted in rich colors as well as patterned with oriental-inspired wallpaper of Chinese lettering, or exotic flowers, fish and birds. In more traditional Chinese wall decor, entire murals celebrate a dynamic culture by depicting historical scenes and legendary mythological figures.

Although boldly colored and ornate, the Chinese design-inspired home is still comfortable and easy to live in.

Lighting

Natural lighting is key in Japanese design, so this style would be great for a room that already gets a lot of sunlight. Windows can be  curtained with sheer fabrics or earth-toned fiber window shades, or even left uncovered. Low wattage interior lighting maintains the soothing effect into the evening. Try a rice paper lamp shade or something similar with mild colors.

Chinese decor tends to be bolder and more colorful, specifically using bright reds (red is a color symbolic of good luck in China), blues and yellows. A lamp painted with mythical Chinese characters is a dramatic touch, or for a softer glow, hang Chinese paper lanterns.

Accents & Accessories

Overall, when you walk into a room that is a Japanese design-inspired, less is more and the effect should be a calming one. Neutral colors like the earth tones of gray, brown and green allow for visual flow without catching on a particular bright color. That doesn’t preclude the use of color, but keep it simple nonetheless. Frame an embroidered silk kimono of traditional Japanese design, or display a colorful porcelain tea set.  Otherwise, choose accessories that evoke nature; for example, use bamboo and stone materials, and decorate with bonsai plants and orchid flowers for more organic elements.

Chinese accents involve bright colors and rich, luxurious fabrics like silk embroidered in Chinese designs (often mystical beasts and animals like tigers, monkeys, dragons, as well as birds and flowers). Pillows and curtains in these opulent fabrics imbue the room with a vitality particular to Chinese design. Ceramics and pottery with the same motifs are beautiful accessories atop tables and dark wooden chests. Unusual Chinese antiques can be found in street and flea markets, as well as on the Internet.

Chinese rugs are key for floor accents, and come in all sizes and prices.

With such a wide range of accent pieces to choose from, it’s important to keep in mind that all it takes to create a Chinese design-inspired home is a striking piece of furnishing, a splash of color and a few choice accent pieces, from art to rugs to ceramic vases.

Finding YOURSELF somewhere in Asia

Remember, designing your home means considering the rules and then breaking a few if you choose. Modern Asian design is an example of how you can use traditional Japanese and Chinese styles and then infuse aspects of the two, or combine them with alternative design elements. How about painted black bamboo bunk beds, white walls with a bonsai tree mural and a giant red area rug? The point is, create the space that feels home to you, and incorporate as many or all of the Asian-inspired design aspects as you see fit!

Pricing it up

It’s important to work out an early estimate of the cost of building your home. You can use a free online building cost estimator or research local builders whose work resembles the size and quality of your ideal home. Most builders can give you an approximate idea of what your budget should be. Don’t forget to let them know from the get-go about any must-have features or additions, because the unknowns are what end up busting the budget in the end.

Evaluate the lot you are choosing to build upon. Maybe the lot is comparably cheaper to other property you are considering, but that may be a result of expensive building obstacles: trees that need to be cleared, drainage systems needing to be built, or layers of rock that must be destroyed. As a note, a remote lot may be cheaper than one more centrally located, however in the end, the most budget-friendly lots are those with access to public water lines, electricity and gas.

Simplicity equals cost effective

Opting for simplicity in the shape of your home is another way to cut costs. Square and rectangular floor plans are easier on the budget than building complex shapes with involved roof-lines. Consider how much simpler a dome home is to build in comparison to a triangle shape with numerous vaulted ceilings.

You will generally get more bang for your buck if you build tall rather than wide, meaning a single story house spread out over a property is less cost-effective than building a taller, more compact multi-story home. For one, the tall home has equivalent living space but with less roof and foundation. Also, plumbing and heating/cooling systems are more efficient in a more compact space.

Choosing Materials

Major budget-savers come when choosing the building materials for your home. Nowadays, there are many high-quality imitations of the pricier traditional material. You can still create the look you want without draining your entire budget on one room. For example, real hardwood floors are beautiful but you may consider less expensive alternatives like engineered wood, prefabricated floors or bamboo flooring. Instead of solid wood cabinets, consider that open shelves use less material and can make your kitchen, bathroom or home office feel more spacious.

(photo of engineered wood flooring)

Using recycled and re-purposed construction and decorating materials is not only an environmentally-friendly way to build on a budget, but the items you find may become some of your favorite finishing touches. Ask your local hardware store for recycled materials like steel or sawdust composites and browse architectural salvage warehouses for various architectural details like doors, windows, light and plumbing fixtures, ironwork, etc. Scout your area for a flooring outlet that may have great deals for bulk materials. Search eBay for specific items and take advantage of discounts and promotions from your local building-supply stores.

Keep in mind the difference between details that you are willing to economize on now which can easily be upgraded in the future, as opposed to features that cannot easily be changed. Invest in the latter as they will be the foundation of your home.

The Red Tape

Finally, part of building on a budget is taking care of the legal aspects so you don’t end up with penalties and major fees later. Get the right site insurance and any building warranties necessary before you launch into production.

Building on a budget means planning ahead; know the steps you need to take and the materials you will require so you can get resourceful about maintaining that budget. Then, you will walk through the front doors of your dream home!

Table lamps are ideal for filling a space with light. Depending on the brightness of the bulb and the color of the shade, you can moderate how much light fills the room. Try choosing a lampshade that generally mimics the shape of the base; for example, if you have a rectangular base, then choose a wide square or rectangular shade.

Lamps are also excellent decorative additions to any room, and can complement the home’s design style, whether its modern, romantic, traditional, etc.

Recessed lighting is great for a living room, placed above the couch or coffee table. With track lighting or recessed lighting, you can accent architectural details in your home, like the fireplace or a beautiful painting.

Wall sconces cast an indirect light on parts of the wall and are a lovely decorative choice for adding color and style to any room. They come in a wide selection of colors and an array of materials from metal to ceramic.

A reading lamp can be a floor or table lamp next to your bed or a chair in the living room. If you discover a lamp with a base you like but with the wrong lampshade color or style, consider getting it anyway, because you can easily replace the lampshade. Remember that a translucent lampshade will provide more light for reading, whereas an opaque shade is better for decorative, accent lighting.

A floor lamp can add height to the room, especially if the light aims upward toward the ceiling.

Light fixtures can be works of art, like an ornate chandelier over the dining room table, or a lamp made from an unusual material. An eclectic fixture on a table or shelf not only adds an interesting element to the room’s decor, but it can also light a dark corner. The below dining room has many different lighting sources, including a bicycle wheel chandelier!

Imagine the conversation pieces that the below chandeliers would make; they are made from cutlery, which would likely create intriguing patterns on the walls.

Candlelight is the ideal way to soften the atmosphere, or even set a romantic mood. You can add candles almost anywhere in a home, and with all the different styles and colors available, they are the easiest type of lighting to change frequently.

Another fun idea is to string white holiday lights or even a strand of lantern lights for some wonderful accent lighting in any room. Hope this article helped shine some light on different ways to brighten your home!

The above is an example of a loft conversion into a no-frills spare bedroom. The white walls and linens combined with wooden floors and furniture create a neutral space. Choosing a streamlined interior design instantly makes converting your attic more affordable while maintaining a clean aesthetic.

This luxurious loft conversion feels extremely spacious by virtue of the ceiling-to-floor windows and french doors. Large amounts of light flood in and reflect against light wooden floors, giving the room an airy quality. Installing windows is the most effective way to incorporate the natural world into your home, and because many loft spaces are small, large windows and glass doors immediately expand the room.

The bright orange color scheme and large skylights make the above loft conversion feel vibrant and inviting. A plush area rug, numerous pillows and a large plant give the spacious room a cozier feel. The loft almost has a “retreat” feel, where you could comfortably gather with friends for a movie, or simply to curl up and a take a nap.

Reclaiming your attic as an office is another useful loft conversion idea, and can give working from home a whole new appeal. The attic is isolated enough from distraction to allow you to focus on the tasks at hand, while still providing the comfort of being in your own home. In the above office loft conversions, the use of skylights and light interior color brighten the room.

Converting your loft into a kitchen/dining room is a more involved project than the more common bedroom/living room option. However, if all building code regulations are met, it is a delightful idea for creating an alternative entertaining area.

Often a large percentage of a property’s potential space is in the attic, and converting it into a wide variety of usable living quarters can add significant value to your home.

Even with a few extra metres to build, your house extension can be contemporary and appear to give a huge amount of extra space.

Patio dining area with external lighting, and electric glass doors which allows for a completely open air kitchen and dining area. Ideal for warm, summer nights.

Smart use of an L-shaped extension with sliding glass doors. Perfect for a romantic drink and a view of the sunset.

Most planning for extensions will restrict you to a certain sq meterage. However, with a clever design, you can seamlessly blend your extension to your patio and then even to your garden to make it look like they are all one.

This is a good way to design your home extension; Try not to constrict yourself by building as many rooms as you can get. Opt towards making it a place where you can relax and not feel squashed.

The Gas Station

Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Architect firm ElevenTH took an old, beaten down 1950’s PEMCO gas station, stripped the interior, and converted the space into a pleasant, 240-sqr ft office with a touch of vintage.

Upper Twyford Barn

Howard Meadowcroft, Hereford, United Kingdom was once a pair of crumbling farm buildings owned by the Duchess of Cornwall

Recycled Office,

Amsterdam, Netherlands. In an effort to conform to the house style of white and grey, all the furnishings and decor were spray painted with polyurea Hotspray (an environmentally friendly paint). Yes, even a mounted deer head and a Jesus statue were not spared.

GRAND FLAGSHIP HEADQUARTERS

Diane von Furstenberg’ HQ and Flagship, WorkAC, New York, New York. The space is designed to reflect and refract the abundant light from above. Swarovski crystals hang from the ceiling and washes down the grand, perforated staircase, which has been dubbed the ‘stairdelier.

The Wharehouse

The company spent only $20 per square foot too, proving once again that less is indeed more.

KBP West Offices

San Fransisco, California. Bright green phone booth is used for conference calls at the advertising agency, and stadium-stairs are used for company meetings. Have an idea? Chalk it on the wall.

Banyan Drive Treehouse

California. At 170sf in all, it sits 12-feet above the ground in the middle of several trees.

Featured “masterpiece”: Hope you don’t get Termites!

Client: ” We would like to have a 2 metre extension to our 3rd storey apartment. Is it possible?”

Architect: “Yes of course! I will give you a good price if you give me the job”.

And some others…

This video brings up some very important factors about what nano-architecture can bring. Here are some key ideas that I can see already developing…

Read also: The Nano Revolution In Architecture

MAKING THE TECHNOLOGY MORE HUMANE

Johansen’s vision for the future of architecture is quite thought-provoking. In this video you get a sense of how built environments can evolve — for the better. Johansen’s envisioned “community” shows a new kind of architecture that makes use of the emergence of nanotechnology in both adaptive and humane ways.

Nano-architecture will allow for designs that better interact with the human senses. Experiencing this type of architecture could feel more “natural” and less forced than many of the designs we experience today. (…although this might be up for debate.)

Johansen shows that the future of architecture can be both technologically rich and humane —simultaneously.

DESIGNING YOUR OWN MATERIALS

By merging both nanotechnology and architecture, the advent of nanotechnology will give architects renewed freedoms that we don’t experience today. For instance, the ability to design your own materials — going beyond wood, concrete and glass.

BUILDINGS THAT WILL “GROW”

It is interesting to think of architecture as a “growing” environment that evolves according to different respective codes. Nanoarchitecture could treat such codes (or rules) as a way to optimize intended functions and aesthetics. Architecture would then be more of a dynamic entity, morphing to occupant needs.

RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURE

An architecture that is responsive would allow for better design variations that meet occupant need. Personalization of nanoarchitectural spaces will be a likely benefit giving occupants greater flexibility and choice.

BRINGING ARCHITECTURE CLOSER TO NATURE

Johansen’s vision of a chapel responding to light energy is a rather beautiful idea. This one concept powerfully illustrates the possibilities that nano architecture will allow. It is likely that nano-architecture will bring architectural design a few steps closer to having buildings more synchronously harmonize with nature.

WHO IS JOHN M. JOHANSEN?

Just in case you are not familiar with John M Johansen, here is a brief biography of this well-known architect:

John Johansen has been one of the pre-eminent architects in the United States for more than half a century. After studying under Walter Gropius (who became his father-in-law) at Harvard, he embarked on an extraordinary career marked by experimental domestic and public design. Since retiring from practice, Johansen has devoted himself to producing futuristic architecture that looks to the newest technologies science has to offer–from nanotechnology to magnetic levitation to material science–for its inspiration. (Excerpt from the Editorial Review of his book, “The New Species of Architecture”)

Getting planning permission on a piece of land, or for a renovation opportunity, not only transforms the value of that plot, but also gives you the chance to create development opportunities.

Unfortunately, the planning process can be drawn out, confusing and riddled with doubt and problems — but what you stand to gain should make it all worthwhile.

It is quite possible to buy a building plot that already has planning permission, as many on the market do. However, this is not always as good an idea as it may at first seem, as the most desirable plots rarely get beyond the estate agent’s door before being snapped up by developers. Another factor to watch out for is that the planning permission in place may not be all it seems; for example, there may be no details about the size of the house.

The rules of planning are unpredictable, open to interpretation and often easily bent — and this is something that can work both for and against you. It is vital to have an understanding of the planning process because, put simply, ending up with the right permission is the only way you will end up being able to build the house of your dreams. Whatever your circumstances, there is often a way to negotiate and come up with a satisfactory solution, as the case studies that are linked below demonstrate.

Planning Permission Education

Probably the easiest way to understand planning is to hear it from the horses mouth. The UK Planning Portal provide an interesting 3D demonstration of a home, its’ parts and a clear statement of what does or doesn’t need planning – or what may need looking into.

INTERACTIVE HOUSE

If your property is Semi Detached please click on the link below to open the interactive model and find out everything you need to know about your Planning Permission requirements:

Launch the guide »

INTERACTIVE TERRACE

If your property is a Terrace please click on the link below and find out everything you need to know about your Planning Permission and Building Regulation requirements:

Launch the guide »

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• You don’t have to own a piece of land in order to make a planning application on it.
• It should take no longer than eight weeks from the point of application until you get a decision.
• The objections of neighbours and local residents will not necessarily have any impact on the decision.
• It is possible to withdraw an application — if you suspect you might get a refusal, you can withdraw at any time you wish and resubmit free of charge.
• You can submit however many applications you like for any one site — and then choose which one you want to use most. As long as it is current, you don’t have to use the most recent.

Planning: Our Top Tips for Success

UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM

Planning permission has a particularly unpredictable set of rules — open to interpretation and often capable of being bent. Unlike the Building Regulations, planning regulations differ from one area of the country to the next, while the scope for inconsistencies between planners – even within one authority – is huge. So if you want to self-build, renovate or extend, a flexible and pragmatic approach to achieving what you want is vital.

BUY LAND SUBJECT TO PLANNING

It is perfectly legal to make a planning application on land you do not own — you don’t even need permission from the landowner, as permission goes with the land rather than the applicant. It is common practice to make a purchase subject to satisfactory planning permission — which is then legally secured by exchanging contracts with completion conditional upon getting the permission you want, or by entering into an ‘optional agreement’, whereby you have the legal option to buy if you’re successful or to walk away if you’re not.

GET PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE

First find your local planning department. Your local planning department and its website is a free source of information that can help you to exploit opportunities. But you need to know how to use it and this is where it is extremely helpful to talk to a planning officer from your local authority. Try to achieve a good rapport rather than approaching them as an enemy, and aim to gain an understanding of the key issues you will have to deal with in order to get permission.

MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE ENEMY

Most objections from neighbours etc stem from a fear that their own properties will be devalued — and also often from a worry about the change that a new house will mean for them. Perhaps the best way to avoid objections, therefore, is to talk to neighbours and the parish council prior to making your application and try to accommodate in your design any specific concerns they have. If you can accommodate what might be trivial issues it could make the difference between a delegated approval and a planning committee refusal.

UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS

If and when you do get permission, it will be subject to certain conditions. This will include a time limit during which the application has to be started — now three years. Any conditions on your application are extremely important and a failure to comply with them can result in a ‘breach of condition notice’ (BCN) to which there is no right of appeal and which can be enforced through the courts by prosecution.

TRADE UP

If you come across a piece of land that comes complete with planning permission, don’t be put off if the nature of the approved house design does not quite meet your requirements. Just because permission already exists for, say, a bungalow, this does not mean that this is what you will have to build.

KNOW THE RULES

The rules of the planning game are not simple. They are produced by local authorities and referred to as ‘development plan policies’. They are supposed to be a guide as to where new housing is located and what kind of developments are built in that area.

These rules are not hard and fast, and it is really all about how well you can sell what it is you are applying for to the local planning authorities in relation to the policies in their particular development plan.

The development plan policies set out – often not particularly clearly – criteria for what will and won’t be acceptable. Villages and towns will normally have been given a development boundary – also known as a settlement boundary – and it is within this boundary that the principle of new development is allowed. Outside of these boundaries, land is usually grouped together as countryside and is extremely difficult to gain planning permission on.

Trying to comply with any of these vaguely worded policies can be very difficult — particularly if you are aiming to do so without the help of a good designer or planning consultant who is able to interpret exactly what the local authorities are trying to say.

TRY AN INCREMENTAL APPROACH

By submitting parts of a controversial scheme incrementally, planners are less likely to countenance refusal because they are always duty bound to compare it to what has already been approved — meaning that big leaps forward can prove too controversial for consumption, but incremental amendments to approved schemes are difficult to resist.

PRESENT YOUR IDEAS CLEARLY

Finally, spend money on presentation drawings of your development — planning authorities grant permissions for what is really only a picture at that stage.

HAS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO ALREADY BEEN REJECTED?

Check the planning office for records relating to the site you have in mind and investigate whether the plot has suffered any rejections or other forms of adverse planning history. What has gone on in the past will be the starting point that planning officers will base their new decisions on.

Planning Jargon: The Terms Explained

• Outline Planning Permission: A general approval to enable construction. This may simply be for one dwelling; it might also specify whether the new house is to be a bungalow, but will give little more detail. On plan, it merely constitutes a red line around a plot.
• Detailed Planning Permission: Specific approval for an individual design to be built, based on a set of drawings indicating details on elevations and even facing materials.
• Full Planning Permission: Another term for detailed planning permission. Some plot developers bypass general outline approval and go straight for ‘full’ permission.
• Permitted Development Rights: Developments that can be carried out without planning approval. They relate to existing houses and cover small-scale improvements, such as modest extensions, loft conversions and so on.

Architecturally speaking this store keeps the original London style with innovative additions. It is a 2 storey building and is the now the biggest Apple Store in the World, even bigger than the New York Cube.

Up until the morning of 4 August 2010, the site was covered, building anticipation of the people passing by and London residents. Apple, doing things how they do it (one step ahead of the rest) have been working on an architectural masterpiece. The building covers 4 floors but only 2 floors will be open to the public. The building dates from 1876 and has been painstakingly restored with open brick work, stone arches and even the gas lamps.

Other than being huge – three floors with a huge courtyard area – Apple’s PR, Johnson was keen to point out that much of the building is still made up of the original 1876 brickwork, which had to be carefully restored. A process Johnson described as “expensive” but the Apple boss was keen to stress that the cost was worth it. “We spent the right amount of money, put it that way”, he said.

As well as the “original fabric” Johnson was also keen to boast of the English oak used in the tables and parts of the floor, and was also awfully proud that it was the first Apple Store in the world to offer two glass staircases.

Talking of world firsts, the store also boasts Apple’s newest addition to its retail operations – the Start Up room, where the Apple bods will help people set up their purchases before they even leave the shop.

There is also a new community room, and a business briefing centre where schools and, er, businesses can go and get hands on with the Apple gadgets.

As you’d expect there are also the usual Apple Store offerings such as Genius Bars, personal training rooms, kid’s tables and there is also the largest selection of third party software and accessories to be found anywhere in the world.

300 employees have been summoned to work at the new store and they will all be able to take payments for items from anywhere on the premises using their iPod touches and the new Easy Pay Touch system. Paper receipts are long dead, you’ll receive your purchase details via email before you even leave the shop.

At the Covent Garden Apple Store, you can enjoy a new dedicated rooms for Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod, you can surf the web, listen to music, see the new iPhone 4 and iPad. And if you’re one of the first 4,000 customers, you’ll get a free commemorative T-shirt too.

Photo Gallery of the new Apple Store in London

Store Information

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