Dacres - A Contemporary Inverted Home Framed By The South Downs

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 for luxury developers Sparks Property, 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. 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. 

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. 

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. www.idsystems.co.uk

Credits:  Sparks Property / Chris Taylor Photography