Suffolk's Sliding House in Huntingfield is for sale for £1m

Sliding House in Huntingfield near Halesworth is on the market with London-based estate agents The Modern House, and is comprised of three distinct buildings all set within three and a half acres of gardens, orchards and meadows.

The property was designed by Alex de Rijke of dRMM architects, a London-based studio, and boasts a one-of-a-kind feature: depending on the position of the sun, the larch-clad cashing slides back and forth, allowing its inhabitants to enjoy the open-air or to seek shelter.

Sliding House has a unique design which allows its inhabitants to enjoy the open air (Image: The Modern House)

The dining space features a huge vaulted ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the terrace and the gardens (Image: The Modern House)

The build has been both shortlisted for - and won - several awards, including the 2009 RIBA East Award, 2009 Winner Grand Designs Awards 'Best New Build' and 'Home of The Year’. In 2009 it was also highly commended in the World Architecture Festival Awards' 'House' Category.

READ MORE: Barn with planning permission for sale for £120k

A spokesperson for estate agents The Modern House describes the building as both “radically different from anything seen before” and something that still manages to “blend into its surroundings.”

It offers a conventional and streamlined silhouette which is divided into three sections to create the house, annexe and garage.

The structure offers a streamlined silhouette but is still divided into three (Image: The Modern House)

A large mezzanine living space sits over the kitchen, offering elevated views over the gardens (Image: The Modern House)

The garage is coloured a bright red - reminiscent of the hotels in the boardgame Monopoly - and provides a stark contrast to the house, which is larch-clad at first, and the adjacent timber annexe.

A set of recessed railway tracks sit either side of the house. It takes around 10 minutes for the outer wooden casing, which is described as “a glove to the house” to slide along them. Once it has, the glassy, greenhouse-like framework is revealed.

Inside, the rooms are designed to either be sheltered or open to the sky, depending on the weather.

Highlights include a bright galley-style kitchen, large dining space with a fully-glazed wall overlooking the terrace, and a sitting area fitted with a woodburning stove.

The property is seasonal, offering cosy living spaces in winter and sun-drenched spaces in the summer (Image: The Modern House)

At the opposite end of the house, but still on the ground floor, is a double bedroom and dressing room – with the latter currently used as a study.

According to a spokesperson for The Modern House, the central rooms are much more intimate and have been influenced by artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s ‘House for an Art Lover’, with contrasting spaces and atmospheres. These include a cosy snug, back kitchen, utility room and shower room – all of which are housed in bespoke cabinetry and complete the ground floor.

READ MORE: £1.2m home with outdoor kitchen is for sale

Above the main kitchen sits a generous mezzanine living space, where the ceilings rise with the roof line. Low windows and skylights offer far-reaching views of the countryside and when the casing is slid back, the sky can be seen through the glass roof.

One of the highlights of the property is its huge first-floor bathroom which allows inhabitants the chance to bathe in the open air (Image: The Modern House)

The property sits in over three acres of gardens and grounds which include areas of wildflower meadows and orchards (Image: The Modern House)

The primary bedroom suite is located to the north east of the house and feature low-set windows, roof lights and walk-through wardrobes.

Situated between this and the living area is a main bathroom which is described as “large and lofty”. On warm summer evenings, when the house’s outer casing is pulled back, it can offer a unique opportunity to bathe in the open air.

Elsewhere, the annexe is completely independent and open-plan in layout, with a kitchen, living and dining area and bathroom and bedroom. It also features double-heighted ceilings in places and a large office space.

The garage sits between the main house and annexe with a paved courtyard in front (Image: The Modern House)

Once exposed by the sliding outer layer, the home is light and airy (Image: The Modern House)

Outside, the property enjoys green lawns, gently sloping flower meadows and an orchard, as well as a large area of fruit cages and raised beds.

Towards the very west of the property there is a large studio and workshop.

The house itself is ‘A’ rated for its energy efficiency and the gardens boast great eco-credentials too, including a domestic wind turbine, ground-mounted solar array and an electric car charging point.

Heating is provided by a geothermal heat pump.

For more information, contact The Modern House.

PROPERTY FACTS
Cratfield Road, Huntingfield
Guide price: £1,000,000
The Modern House, 020 3834 8558
www.themodernhouse.com