Architecture

Quirky Mushroom House declared best shed of 2017

Quirky Mushroom House declared best shed of 2017
Top spot in this year's Shed of the Year Competition went to Ben Swanborough for his Mushroom House
Top spot in this year's Shed of the Year Competition went to Ben Swanborough for his Mushroom House
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Seating spot inside the Mushroom House's ground floor
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Seating spot inside the Mushroom House's ground floor
The Mushroom House has an impressively high level of craftsmanship
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The Mushroom House has an impressively high level of craftsmanship
The Mushroom House lit up at night
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The Mushroom House lit up at night 
The Mushroom House features stained glass windows
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The Mushroom House features stained glass windows
The Mushroom House's floor features a glazed section to enable visitors to gaze at a river below
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The Mushroom House's floor features a glazed section to enable visitors to gaze at a river below 
The Mushroom House's roof has a small sunroof to encourage star gazing
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The Mushroom House's roof has a small sunroof to encourage star gazing
The Mushroom House was entered into the Cabin and Summerhouse Category
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The Mushroom House was entered into the Cabin and Summerhouse Category
Mushroom House creator Ben Swanborough has been awarded £1,000 ($1,355) from competition sponsors Cuprinol, in addition to £100 ($135) of Cuprinol products, a winner's plaque and a giant crown for his shed
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Mushroom House creator Ben Swanborough has been awarded £1,000 ($1,355) from competition sponsors Cuprinol, in addition to £100 ($135) of Cuprinol products, a winner's plaque and a giant crown for his shed
Mushroom House creator Ben Swanborough was given £500 by his daughter (pictured) and asked to build her a small cabin in the shape of a mushroom
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Mushroom House creator Ben Swanborough was given £500 by his daughter (pictured) and asked to build her a small cabin in the shape of a mushroom
The Mushroom House's proud owner
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The Mushroom House's proud owner
The Mushroom House's ground floor
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The Mushroom House's ground floor
The Mushroom House's front door
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The Mushroom House's front door
The Mushroom House's swinging chair
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The Mushroom House's swinging chair
Steps and a trapdoor lead from the Mushroom House's ground floor to upper floor
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Steps and a trapdoor lead from the Mushroom House's ground floor to upper floor
Steps and a trapdoor lead from the Mushroom House's ground floor to upper floor
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Steps and a trapdoor lead from the Mushroom House's ground floor to upper floor
Top spot in this year's Shed of the Year Competition went to Ben Swanborough for his Mushroom House
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Top spot in this year's Shed of the Year Competition went to Ben Swanborough for his Mushroom House
The Mushroom House under construction
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The Mushroom House under construction 
The Mushroom House under construction
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The Mushroom House under construction 
The Mushroom House under construction
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The Mushroom House under construction 
The Mushroom House under construction
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The Mushroom House under construction 
The Mushroom House was pitted against strong competition, including an underground bunker, trailer-based police station replica, and a miniature fire station
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The Mushroom House was pitted against strong competition, including an underground bunker, trailer-based police station replica, and a miniature fire station
View gallery - 21 images

The aptly-named Mushroom House (aka Mushroom Shed), designed by Ben Swanborough, has been declared the winner of the 2017 Cuprinol Shed of the Year competition. The quirky cabin has an impressive level of craftsmanship and includes lots of nice little touches, such as stained-glass windows, a trapdoor, and a small glazed floor section.

Swanborough was handed £500 (roughly US$670) by his 12 year-old daughter and asked to build a small cabin in the shape of a mushroom. From these humble beginnings, the project went on to beat strong competition in this year's Shed of the Year competition, including an underground bunker, trailer-based police station, and a miniature fire station, to grab one of the most interesting prizes in British architecture.

"When we started the project we never could have dreamed we'd be here now," says the sheddie. "We've already made so many lovely memories in our shed, and now have so many more from the competition. There were so many innovative and amazing sheds in the running, and we're absolutely thrilled to have been crowned Shed of the Year 2017."

The Mushroom House is located in a back garden in Surrey, England. It comprises two parts: a ground floor "stem" and an upper floor "cap." The former includes a small vintage desk area and seating, with steps and a trapdoor leading upstairs (the upper floor can also be reached directly by stairs outside).

The Mushroom House's floor features a glazed section to enable visitors to gaze at a river below
The Mushroom House's floor features a glazed section to enable visitors to gaze at a river below 

The upper floor looks quite spacious and is furnished with some vintage ornaments. In addition to the stained glass windows, it also includes a small glass floor section that offers views of a stream below and a skylight to encourage stargazing. A small hammock chair is suspended outside.

Following the win, Swanborough has been awarded £1,000 ($1,355) in prize money from competition sponsors Cuprinol (a garden supplies firm), in addition to £100 ($135) of Cuprinol products, a winner's plaque and, erm, a giant crown to place atop his shed.

Source: Shed Blog

View gallery - 21 images
2 comments
2 comments
possum1
Best cubby house for a girl - maybe, but definitely not worlds best shed ! Sheds have things like tool racks, beer fridges, jars of rusty screws and nails, unfinished projects and something leaking oil in the corner.
Nik
The two main cross beams, that support the upper floor look seriously deficient in cross section, and can probably be expected to sag. Older timber buildings have similar beams that are several times larger than those used here, and they still sag. I would have used a beam of at least 6'' wide by 8'' high, minimum, and un-notched.