Life House

In creating Life House (Ty Bywyd in Welsh) for design-led holiday rental company Living Architecture, the renowned architect John Pawson aimed to create a perfect space for serenity and meditation, an oasis from the bustle of modern life. Even the house itself aims to fade into the background, created from a dark Danish brick, which gives the low building a shadowy feel. Inside there is more brick, this time a pale grey beige accentuated with polished concrete floors, plus ceilings, furniture and a kitchen made from soft pine. The internal plan is also divided into dark and light: one corridor leads to the ‘dark’ area – a cavernous underground chamber designed for sensory-deprived meditation, while the ‘light’ corridor leads to the outside and contemplation in the fresh air. A simple living and eating area nestles at the centre of the house, while three suites (sleeping six) are themed according to important human activities: a library bedroom filled with therapeutic books, a music bedroom with a selection of transcendental and meditative music, and a bathing suite where the emphasis is on a platform bath with breathtaking views across the valley. It is in vast contrast to another of Living Architecture’s homes, the vivid House for Essex.