Enkel

Introduction

Discerning. Grown-up. Serene. Come here to live in the hush of the silent travel trend; think new-wave writers' retreat meets digital detox. Holistically crafted by Copenhagen studio Norm in the style of the prominent 20th-century architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Enkel is a filmic flat-roofed pavilion that sits atop a basalt podium on the hillocks and flatlands of the Suffolk coast. Beyond its glass box guise, the owners’ fondness for Danish design principles shows up in the form of renewable energy, a studio sauna, and spaces that have been kept to a meditative minimum. It’s the kind of residence that feels more like art installation than architecture.

Inside

This is a home of contrasts: old and new, geometric and organic, concrete and butter-soft. Think arterial hallways lined with linen, and modular sofas made for in-house film premieres. An examined home for an examined life, it could be Socrates’ own residence, with abstract oil-stick artworks, austere alcoves, and the cognac-coloured warmth of Børge Mogensen’s cult 1960s Spanish chairs. Interiors like this mark a grass-roots shift in human-centric design: not made to keep nature out, but to invite it in. In a show of affection for the great outdoors, ribbons of glass make grasslands part of the décor, allowing for the easy pour of light into its Om-inducing living spaces.

Outside

Forest bathers, welcome. Set on five subtle acres of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Landscape (AONB), Enkel is a kind of nature school for the tech-head generation. A “good old days” tree swing and basketball hoop offer nostalgic reprise, while daybeds and meadows make for mindful hours in the sun and knee-height expeditions for crickets and honeybees. Further afield, there’s more leisurely, low-intensity pastimes that would be approved by the nervous system; curious ecosystems inhabited by Chinese water deer, rivers that inspired paintings hanging in the Tate, and the genteel township of Southwold with its seaside soul and London crowd.

• PricingFrom £2,250 per week, £1,695 per short break
• FeaturesSauna, fire pit, baby grand piano
• PetsSorry, no pets
  
• FamilyChildren and babies are welcome
• PracticalitiesThere is off-road parking for five cars. The kitchen has a double oven, induction hob, dishwasher, fridge, and freezer. The utility room (in the studio) contains a washing machine and tumble dryer. There is underfloor heating throughout. Please note that the gardens are not enclosed, so do exercise due diligence if you are travelling with children
• Private cateringWhether you're looking for a fully catered stay or a one-off meal for a special occasion, discover your bespoke catering options
  
  Explore private dining
• Eco-friendlyElectric car charging point is available on prior request
• RestrictionsParties considered on prior permission from the owner

Southwold

Within touching distance of The Broads, with all of its toadstools and water voles, Southwold is a Victorian-Edwardian seaside town with eateries, artisanal markets, and scenes that inspired the writings of George Orwell.

View property location Destination guide

Getting there

• On the map This luxury pavilion is located in Reydon near the historic seaside town of Southwold in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths National Landscape (AONB).
• By car Enkel is around ten minutes from Southwold, one hour from Norwich, two hours from Cambridge, and two-and-a-half hours from London.
• By train Brampton Train Station is fifteen minutes away by car. There are regular trains from London Liverpool Street via Ipswich with Greater Anglia Railways, with a journey time of two-and-a-half hours.
• By air London Stansted and London Southend are both less than two hours away by car, and major London airports are less than three hours by car. Norwich Airport is less than one hour by car.