Situated on the coast, the recently completed Long House is encased by two giant flint walls, a nod to the local barns and historical churches with the same feature. Structural timber mullions provide space for wide spans of glazing, which offer views of the prairie-like landscape.

“It’s a terribly simple plan,” Michael Hopkins says in an interview with Alain de Botton on the Living Architecture web site. The firm carved a hole in the middle of the two-storey house, establishing the open-plan concept. In the central void, the sitting area’s wooden spiral staircase – encased in a slatted-wood cylinder – steals the show. It also acts as a focal point – a sculptural feature from which the two long hallways on either side of the home extend, leading to various living areas.

On the main floor, a living space is located at one end while the kitchen is at the opposite. Beyond one of the two courtyards on the first floor, is the fifth bedroom – appropriate for guests with accessibility needs. On the second, the hallways connect four other bedrooms.

The home comes completely furnished; features include Miele kitchen and laundry appliances and cooking utensils by David Mellor Design. It is the fifth holiday home created in England for de Botton’s Living Architecture, a program designed to encourage interaction with contemporary architecture.

Only a few available dates remain for July and August. Prices start at £783 for a four-night stay. See booking specials here.