The Dune House: A Striking Daylit Vacation Home For Architecture Lovers in Suffolk

Architecture lovers - it's time to start booking your 2012 adventures, and for those who love the British seaside, we've got the perfect place to stay. The <a href="http://www.living-architecture.co.uk/the-houses/dune-house/background/" target="_blank">Dune House</a> is part of <a href="http://www.living-architecture.co.uk/" target="_blank">Living Architecture's</a> range of modernist vacation homes in the UK. The 5-bedroom house is inspired by traditional seaside gable homes as well as the very dune on which it sits. Designed by Norwegian practice <a href="http://www.jva.no/start.html" target="_blank">Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects (JVA)</a>, the striking home features a completely day-lit ground floor that provides a deep connection with the environment and bathtubs in every room with views of the sea.

The Dune House is located in Thorpeness, England overlooking the sea off the Suffolk coast.

JVA worked closely with <a href="http://www.molearchitects.co.uk/home.html" target="_blank">Mole Architects</a> to design this vacation home to meet the standards of the area's planning board.

Inspired by traditional gable roof houses and the very dune on which it sits, this 5-bedroom home references local seaside buildings while remaining distinctively contemporary.

Each of the four bedrooms upstairs is tucked into one of the 4 gables, and they all enjoy a private bathroom as well as a bathtub right in the room, so you can soak in the tub and enjoy views of the sea.

Another bedroom and bathroom is located downstairs in addition to large open floor plan living, dining, and kitchen areas.

The public areas are completely daylit with glass walls that offer 360 degree views of the sea and dunes.

The house is set down into the dune to protect it from the wind while creating a close connection with the surrounding environment.

The upstairs rooms also enjoy lots of daylight and framed views of the landscape.

Simple materials like glass, concrete, and aluminum were used to give the house weight and sturdiness in the face of the wind, while the interior is lined with light colored timber planks to brighten the space.

The roof is clad in a lightly tinted orange steel alloy that reflects the changing colors of the sea and sky.

Completed in May of 2010, the vacation house is now available through <a href="http://www.living-architecture.co.uk/the-houses/dune-house/tariff/" target="_blank">Living Architecture</a> for your next holiday starting at £760 for a 4-night stay.

Ground floor plan.

First floor plan.