EU v’s UK - Who Builds Better Homes?
- Real Life Architecture
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Are new homes in the EU better than the UK. Can owners and architects in Britain learn anything from builders and designers in Europe?
My name is Níall, and I am an architect based in Edinburgh. For over 20 years, I have designed private homes in the UK. But over January and February of 2026, I travelled around Europe to learn how things are done in other countries.
I made a three-part mini-series, staying in three different homes; A one-off house in a small Portuguese village, a converted stable near an old factory in Belgium and a redesigned townhouse in Brussels.
I design projects like these in the UK, but I want to see how it’s done in other places. Each full-length video is linked below.
If you found my content on TikTok or Instagram, those posts are edited to be less than 10 minutes long. The YouTube versions are each 15 - 17 minutes in length and contain all the details, including construction costs and details of the approvals required to build them.
Maison Fétis - Brussels
A renovated mid-terrace townhouse with a prefabricated steel extension in the back garden.
With thanks to Cédric, he is an Architect and this is his own home.
Casa Do Lar and Casa Do Lagar - Vale de Lobo, Portugal
Two small houses, designed and built as a pair in a rural village.
With thanks to Nuno, the owner, and Hélder, the Architect.
Wagenhuys - Ronse, Belgium
A stable block converted into two luxury flats using bi-circular design.
With thanks to Bert, the Architect and Carlo and Isabelle , who run Be Factory, the owners and developers.
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