The thing that I champion is sustainability. My terror is that suddenly we see it as a luxury, not an essential. That's a danger.

I was never a hugely successful theatre designer. I painted a lot of scenery and did the lighting, and my lighting business grew out of that.

Building your own house is a primal urge, one of those universal genetic drives like the need to provide for your family.

Generally speaking, I think that if you do anything with commitment and passion, it will come good.

If you said to me, 'Lie down on that concrete floor and fall asleep,' I could do it. I can sleep anywhere at any time of day on any surface.

I don't look at what people do with their homes in terms of money, but the social and personal value of what they're trying to do and achieve.

Building your own home is about desire, fantasy. But it's achievable; anyone can do it.