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Modern house with large windows and rooftop solar panels overlooks green fields and distant hills, surrounded by trees and hedges.

Dacres | A contemporary inverted home framed by the South Downs

Home › Case Studies › Dacres | A contemporary inverted home framed by the South Downs

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Perched on the edge of Lewes with far-reaching views across the South Downs, Dacres is a striking bespoke family home designed to maximise light and make the most of its connection to an extraordinary landscape. Set within the South Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the house adopts an innovative inverted layout, placing the principal living spaces on the upper floors so that the most-used rooms enjoy the biggest skies and longest sightlines.

Designed by sustainable architects’ BakerBrown, the home is a confident expression of contemporary architecture, carefully integrated into its sensitive setting while making the most of panoramic views that are arguably among the best in Lewes.

Replacing an architectural property

The original house on the site was built in the 1960s as a holiday home for architect Elaine Denby. Partially excavated into the hillside, it was a distinctive and characterful building, defined by its unusual mono-pitch roof and strong relationship with the landscape.

The original house on the plot, A brick house with large windows and a flat roof is partially hidden by dense green bushes and trees under a partly cloudy sky.

When the current owners acquired the property, they carefully explored the possibility of adapting the existing structure. However, recognising the exceptional potential of the elevated setting and far-reaching views, they chose instead to seek planning permission for a complete transformation. The vision was to create a contemporary family home that responded more intelligently to its surroundings, maximising light, space and the breathtaking outlook across the South Downs.

Designed around light, views and landscape

The architecture is driven by openness and orientation. Expansive glazing and open corner bifold doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, framing uninterrupted views over rolling countryside and allowing daylight to flood deep into the plan. From the elevated living spaces, the landscape becomes an ever-changing backdrop to daily life.

At the heart of the home, a sculptural oak floating staircase with glass and timber balustrades winds upward through the floors. This striking vertical element is elevated further by a bespoke chandelier, creating a dramatic yet elegant moment of arrival and transition.

Dacres is currently on the market as the owners move on to their next project, for more information about the house see the Savills website

Elevated living with seamless indoor-outdoor flow

The upper floor is the true family space: a light-filled, open-plan living, kitchen and dining space intuitively zoned to suit both everyday family life and entertaining.

The dining area opens directly onto a decked morning terrace overlooking meadow and wetlands of the valley. Floor-to-ceiling open corner bifolds help to frame the sweeping South Downs views, reinforcing a seamless relationship between interior and exterior.

Terraces designed for every moment

A wraparound, cantilevered terrace extends the living spaces outdoors. Sheltered by an overhanging zinc and natural slate roof, it provides year-round usability and the perfect vantage point for watching the sun set over the Downs.

A home shaped by its setting

Dacres is a thoughtful response to its environment: contemporary yet grounded, bold yet sensitive. Through its inverted layout, expansive glazing, and carefully crafted transitions between inside and out, the home captures the drama of the South Downs while providing a highly functional and luxurious family living environment.

Location: Lewes, East Sussex
Architects: BakerBrown Studio
Developer: Sparks Property
Photos: Chris Taylor Photography

Gallery

A modern balcony with two orange chairs and a view of fields; adjacent indoor area has a blue sofa, green cushions, and houseplants.
A modern living room with yellow armchairs, a dark blue sofa, a coffee table, and floor-to-ceiling windows opening to a balcony with a scenic countryside view.
Aerial view of a rural landscape with green fields, scattered houses, and distant hills under a partly cloudy sky.
Contemporary wooden house with large windows and a balcony overlooks a green garden, surrounded by landscaped plants and distant countryside views.
Modern house with a balcony, outdoor seating area, manicured lawn, and distant views of green hills under a clear blue sky.
A modern balcony with wooden decking, two orange chairs with cushions, potted plants, and a metal railing overlooking a grassy landscape.
A modern living room with large glass doors open to a patio, a telescope on the balcony, potted plants, and a view of a green lawn and distant trees.
A modern living room with large windows, a navy sofa, two yellow armchairs, a wooden coffee table, and a view of green hills outside.
Aerial view of several houses surrounded by dense greenery, with one modern house featuring solar panels and a drive with parked cars.
Modern living room with sliding doors open to a balcony that overlooks green hills; two orange armchairs and a telescope are on the balcony.
A modern two-storey house with solar panels on the roof, a detached outbuilding, and landscaped garden, bordered by hedges and trees under a clear blue sky.
Modern kitchen with a large island, three white chairs, pendant lights, glossy cupboards, wooden flooring, and large corner windows with views of greenery outside.
A grass field with trees and a building in the background.
A modern bedroom with a double bed, colourful bedding, bedside tables with lamps, wall art above the bed, a mirror, shelves, and a large sliding wardrobe door.
Modern bathroom with a freestanding bath, large mirror, potted plants, two windows, and a sleek worktop with taps and toiletries.
A bedroom with a large upholstered headboard, blue bedding, a wooden wardrobe, two lamps, a blue bench, and access to a balcony with a view.
Modern house with large windows, a curved patio with seating and planters, an outdoor dining area, and a separate small building, surrounded by greenery.
Modern open-plan living and dining area with wooden floors, mid-century furniture, kitchen in the background, and various houseplants throughout the space.
Modern dining room with a long wooden table, eight chairs, indoor plants, a sideboard, large windows, and a view of an outdoor balcony and landscape.
Contemporary living room with yellow armchairs, a blue sofa, patterned rug, plants, and a stone feature wall with a fireplace and stacked firewood.
Modern wooden house with large windows and balcony, overlooking a rural landscape with fields and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Aerial view of a modern house with solar panels on the roof, a curved drive, green lawns, two parked cars, and a separate shed surrounded by trees and hedges.
Modern two-storey house with wood and white exterior, large balcony, patio area, and a white event marquee set up in a landscaped back garden with countryside views.
Aerial view of houses and trees surrounded by green fields and rolling hills under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with angular roof, large windows, and a balcony, set against a clear blue sky.
A modern two-storey house with a flat roof, large windows, and a circular lawn, surrounded by trees and traditional homes in a green countryside setting.
A modern living room with large glass doors opens to a balcony overlooking green hills under a partly cloudy sky. Indoor plants and colourful cushions are visible.
Modern house with solar panels overlooks green fields and distant hills, surrounded by trees, hedges, and neighbouring homes under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with large windows and a lawn, surrounded by trees; a V formation of birds flies across the cloudy sky above.
Modern entrance with a wide black door, tall side window displaying the word "DACRES," stone steps, and potted shrubs on either side.
Two-storey modern house with large balcony, glass balustrades, sloped roof, and white exterior, surrounded by greenery and outdoor plants.
The original house on the plot, A brick house with large windows and a flat roof is partially hidden by dense green bushes and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A modern balcony with two orange chairs and a view of fields; adjacent indoor area has a blue sofa, green cushions, and houseplants.
A modern living room with yellow armchairs, a dark blue sofa, a coffee table, and floor-to-ceiling windows opening to a balcony with a scenic countryside view.
Aerial view of a rural landscape with green fields, scattered houses, and distant hills under a partly cloudy sky.
Contemporary wooden house with large windows and a balcony overlooks a green garden, surrounded by landscaped plants and distant countryside views.
Modern house with a balcony, outdoor seating area, manicured lawn, and distant views of green hills under a clear blue sky.
A modern balcony with wooden decking, two orange chairs with cushions, potted plants, and a metal railing overlooking a grassy landscape.
A modern living room with large glass doors open to a patio, a telescope on the balcony, potted plants, and a view of a green lawn and distant trees.
A modern living room with large windows, a navy sofa, two yellow armchairs, a wooden coffee table, and a view of green hills outside.
Aerial view of several houses surrounded by dense greenery, with one modern house featuring solar panels and a drive with parked cars.
Modern living room with sliding doors open to a balcony that overlooks green hills; two orange armchairs and a telescope are on the balcony.
A modern two-storey house with solar panels on the roof, a detached outbuilding, and landscaped garden, bordered by hedges and trees under a clear blue sky.
Modern kitchen with a large island, three white chairs, pendant lights, glossy cupboards, wooden flooring, and large corner windows with views of greenery outside.
A grass field with trees and a building in the background.
A modern bedroom with a double bed, colourful bedding, bedside tables with lamps, wall art above the bed, a mirror, shelves, and a large sliding wardrobe door.
Modern bathroom with a freestanding bath, large mirror, potted plants, two windows, and a sleek worktop with taps and toiletries.
A bedroom with a large upholstered headboard, blue bedding, a wooden wardrobe, two lamps, a blue bench, and access to a balcony with a view.
Modern house with large windows, a curved patio with seating and planters, an outdoor dining area, and a separate small building, surrounded by greenery.
Modern open-plan living and dining area with wooden floors, mid-century furniture, kitchen in the background, and various houseplants throughout the space.
Modern dining room with a long wooden table, eight chairs, indoor plants, a sideboard, large windows, and a view of an outdoor balcony and landscape.
Contemporary living room with yellow armchairs, a blue sofa, patterned rug, plants, and a stone feature wall with a fireplace and stacked firewood.
Modern wooden house with large windows and balcony, overlooking a rural landscape with fields and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Aerial view of a modern house with solar panels on the roof, a curved drive, green lawns, two parked cars, and a separate shed surrounded by trees and hedges.
Modern two-storey house with wood and white exterior, large balcony, patio area, and a white event marquee set up in a landscaped back garden with countryside views.
Aerial view of houses and trees surrounded by green fields and rolling hills under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with angular roof, large windows, and a balcony, set against a clear blue sky.
A modern two-storey house with a flat roof, large windows, and a circular lawn, surrounded by trees and traditional homes in a green countryside setting.
A modern living room with large glass doors opens to a balcony overlooking green hills under a partly cloudy sky. Indoor plants and colourful cushions are visible.
Modern house with solar panels overlooks green fields and distant hills, surrounded by trees, hedges, and neighbouring homes under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with large windows and a lawn, surrounded by trees; a V formation of birds flies across the cloudy sky above.
Modern entrance with a wide black door, tall side window displaying the word "DACRES," stone steps, and potted shrubs on either side.
Two-storey modern house with large balcony, glass balustrades, sloped roof, and white exterior, surrounded by greenery and outdoor plants.
The original house on the plot, A brick house with large windows and a flat roof is partially hidden by dense green bushes and trees under a partly cloudy sky.

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