Playing It by Ear
Adam’s upcycled builds on a budget
by Mima Biddulph
with a foreword by George Clarke
by Mima Biddulph
with a foreword by George Clarke
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Narrative Non-Fiction Biography
When Adam discovered old double-deckers were cheap, he thought, ‘Everyone is missing a trick here. I could convert one of these. A second home for surfing breaks: happy days!’ This entertaining biography answers Adam’s frequent, optimistic question, ‘What could possibly go wrong?’
Impulsive carpenter Adam Collier-Woods has converted many things into homes over the past decade: a boat, a Big Green Bus, a van and a pile of shipping containers. He’s funny, stubborn, reckless and full of ideas, with inventive approaches to adversity. It’s hard to resist his irreverent joie de vivre and sense of adventure. He’s often on TV with his daughter, his dog and his upcycled, off-grid conversions, grinning with infectious enthusiasm in the face of imminent ruin, revelling in risk and making it up as he goes along. Despite infernos, plague and planning committees, he gets the job done with inspiring results. How and why? Find out in this pacy true tale of misadventure. As it did for this author, you may find it inspires your inner daredevil.
‘Adam is an architectural rebel, pushing the boundaries of designing and building to produce structures that are unique and playful... an Amazing Spaces warrior.’
George Clarke
Opening
Introduction
We’re taught from a young age to prepare, to be cautious and think ahead. We’re supposed to walk before running, look before leaping, be safe not sorry. My friend Adam’s parents tried to teach him all that but it never worked, and he doesn’t regret it because the more he sees of life the more he thinks many people are too careful, their lives limited by fear of failure. Dread of ridicule, unease about the unknown and horror of making mistakes are inhibiting. As a result, we might not try new things, take enough risks or put unconventional ideas into practice. It seems a shame: if his namesake Adam Ant has taught us anything it’s that ridicule is nothing to be scared of.
Don’t get me wrong: there are probably wiser, better ways to do most of the things Adam’s done – I won’t pretend that nothing’s ever gone wrong, but he’s stubbornly kept going through countless attempts to thwart his efforts, foil his plans and dampen his enthusiasm. These have come from all quarters: the elements, thieves, fools, liars, illness, bad luck and, he’ll freely admit, himself, lobbing spanners in the works with mischievous glee. Even thoroughly nice people with the best of intentions sometimes rain on your parade while trying to protect you from yourself.
The sensible, safe thing is to give in or not to try in the first place, but where’s the fun in that? There have been problems, but Adam's upcycling adventures have been well worth it and he's learned new skills, seen new places and met great people along the way. Thousands of lovely guests have enjoyed staying on his bus and in the cabin, and his homes and holidays in boats and vans have given him some of his favourite memories.
Life’s too short for him to become an expert at everything before he even tries it – he prefers to get started, play it by ear and adapt as he goes along, fixing it in the mix. I’ve known the project king, as I sometimes call him, most of my life and have always loved his approach in theory, but find myself more hesitant in reality. Digging into his story to write this book, however, has inspired me to be braver, which is why you’re getting to read it.
This is the story of how Adam ended up on the telly many times and created an income, despite living with Ménière’s disease, by turning vehicles and storage containers into homes. So, if you sometimes feel like throwing caution to the wind, but you want evidence that fortune favours the brave, read on…