Introducing Kudhva.
An Interview with Louise Middleton, the founder and creative director of Kudhva.
On the coast of North Cornwall, Louise Middleton tends to her land and develops her plans for Kudhva. Creative director, artist, leather worker, we could give her any or all of those titles. But above all, Louise is a fiercely independent creative who considers her project Kudhva as an ongoing quest for the ideal architectural hideout…
That you will soon be able to stay in!
1. Please tell us about Kudhva and what your company is trying to achieve.
Kudhva is a different world as you drive through the gates. It’s like an island. It’s one of the first things people tell me. When you enter Kudhva you become a part of it. Don’t expect luxury, expect original design and conceding. Expect to be pushed a little further than you’re used to. Passive learning is key to the Kudhva concept. Plug directly into your ‘wild’.
Kudhva is about accessing a feeling, its an exciting feeling, like when you were a kid and went on an adventure with a few older kids and were pushed way beyond your limits. Its that kind of feeling that I get when I come to Kudhva over time, untamed / wild / adventurous. We at Kudhva want to curate it so that it still exists and share it for others to get those feelings whist sheltering from the elements in architecturally designed shelters — hideouts — Kudhva.
Kudhva is a positive project.
2. What is your vision for Kudhva?
When you enter Kudhva you become a part of it. The luxury is in the design not in the trimmings. We have lots of amazing plans — it’s a ‘world’, every year it will refine, surprise and excite. Kudhva will be a creative melting pot.
3. It’s clear that you’re interested in architecture and creating cool, intriguing spaces. I understand that you have an artistic / fashion background. How did your interests in art and design turn into the idea of Kudhva?
I have built a lot of houses over the years. The first house I built was when I was 25 out in the mountains in France, I just assisted but it was heavy duty assisting, being a builder. The last house I built took 7 years whist I lived in a caravan.
What did you build those houses out of?
Everything, oak trees cut down and dried from the land, wood, stone, bricks. Yeah so I guess i’ve done quite a lot and also I’ve done a few projects with Ben over the years, you know we’ve always crossed paths. You should read about Ben, he’s well known in his field. He’s a prolific worker, he can work fast. With tonnes of experience from being a fine cabinet maker, to being a TV presenter and builder. He knows his stuff. He’s a creative genius in my book! I’m an artistic director, a curator. I’m good at spotting talent and then getting people together. I have a strong vision. I’ve had big bits of land before so it doesn’t phase me, I can see what we can do now and also then in the next three phases, I can future proof.
4. So you’re working with Mackie Studio, what are they doing for you?
Mackie have been a great team to work with, they understand the project inside out now — I really needed that. They are fun to work with and have the right blend of all important factors when you’re growing a brand.
5. What are some of the personal lessons the you’ve learned / had to learn in the process of building and setting up Kudhva?
I’ve had to be very flexible on this project, because things just change. I’ve had quite a bit of time to develop Kudhva as a whole concept, you know, you’re not just building one thing, you’re building four and it’s almost like building a town, it’s quite full on. Everything is integrated, it’s not just one house it’s a multitude of “hideouts” and associated buildings. You have to think about future proofing and everything has to fit in with everything else. You have to aim to meet the needs of all who come so that they can enjoy and flow through the site to have the perfect experience. I have to be really flexible and not hold onto an idea too tight. If you hold on to an idea too tight, you can’t let go of it and it might get in the way.
It’s also about learning about your bit of land. Reading it through the seasons and reading it based on the mining heritage that’s been there. The land has had a life of its own, an industrial environment that was abandoned and has overgrown to be a nature environment. Ive never been on a bit of land like this, it’s 45 acres so it’s vast, with a multitude of habitats joining together.
6. Can you give us an idea of what Kudhva looks / feels like and what was involved in the making of Kudhva?
The Kudhva are almost unimaginable. They’ve been designed especially for the Quarry environment they are sitting within/ perched on. The design allows for all the low level flora to co — exist and the resident deer to run freely underneath! We also have x 6 Tentsile tree tents — they will be suspended in supreme spots over the 45 acre quarry site — in colour coded levels of danger, depending on your level of comfort zone! Spots include in a cave at the top of the quarry with a 40 foot waterfall, a lake and climbing wall, suspended over a reservoir where the banks are filled with wild heather and water mint, and in a willow woods filled with woodland flowers. Its your choice. The Kudhva are built and designed with the clients supreme wellbeing in mind — by the talented Ben Huggins. The main capsule is built form wood — clad with Siberian larch. They have a giant triangular window that leans away from you when you stand next to it, you can see the grade 11 listed engine house, the KUD bar (our resident bar) and 18- degrees of coast from Polzeath up to Hartland and of course a willow tree gently blowing and budding, almost touching the window. The capsule then sits on legs, it’s a architectural feat. You’re up high so you feel the elements, it’s exciting and blows away your preconceptions, allows for a freshness of mind. A revived state of being.
7. You have some pretty amazing features on site at Kudhva, the Engine House and the Waterfall what plans do you have for these places and spaces?
It’s ever evolving Kudhva. I want to put a floating solar cinema in the lake of the quarry amongst other things.
8. I get the impression that Kudhva is about getting back to basics and the Kudhvas are providing people with a refuge, a place to escape city life and relax, far away from the city on the coast. Is that a big part in what you are trying to achieve with Kudhva?
Yes.
9. You spend most of your days at the moment working on and transforming the Kudhva site, can you explain how it’s going to develop in the future and what plans you have in the pipeline?
Consistently finding new places to put the Tentsiles. We’ve obviously got the four man Kudhva which we’ve designed, we want to put a Kudhva in the reservoir and bolt it to the walls.
We will roll out an architecture summer school this year and beyond. The ‘Sunday Service’ sessions with Beautiful and the Feast. We have a Michelin star chef who’s going to be coming up in July (we will put on an event then). There’s loads of things we don’t want to tell you about too — it will spoil the surprise! We are creatives so that’s what we are good at, creating. You will hear lots from Kudhva in the future!
So who is behind Kudhva?
Louise Middleton and Ben Huggins (with the help of a few creatives along the way including Karl Mackie from Mackie Studio, Sanna Annokka a Finnish / British illustrator who’s designed our bespoke bed linen and Cai Wagget from the very cool Hickory Nines.) Louise is pure creative, a fashion designer who’s worked on interior and building projects for the last 20 years and Ben who went from fine furniture maker at John Mackepieces’ school, to builder and TV presenter. It doesn’t come better than that. Together they’ve come up with the Kudhva concept.
The starting point was it’s landscape, an abandoned slate quarry. This environmentally rich 45 acre site feels like another world when you enter it. Indescribable. You are perched high above the sea so it almost feels like an island, something prehistoric! It has everything, bare rock which we call “the moonscape”, it heats up in the summer and you can lie on the bare stone, a 40 foot waterfall and lake, dreamy. A cave with ancient ruins, an old engine house the only fully restored one in North Cornwall, willow woods which is basecamp, mossy dips, heathland with cotton grass and orchids and a deciduous woodland covered in bluebells and swimming holes! Our starting point was deciding where the Kudhva should go within this site, we wanted people to feel excited when they get to Kudhva, to feel ‘WILD’ like anything’s possible. We want our guests to empty their minds, relax, dream and be creative. The Kudhva are architecturally designed to a high specification. They will be available to buy next year and interest is gaining momentum!
To book a Kudhva or tentsile in summer 2017 email: kudhva@gmail.com
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