A meeting of art and architecture on the wild southern coast of the Isle of Wight, a former World War II bunker nestles before the dramatic backdrop of the Undercliff.

The Bunker - On the wild southern coast of the Isle of Wight, a former World War II bunker nestles before the dramatic backdrop of the Undercliff escarpment in St Lawrence, near Ventnor. Resting on an acre plot and surrounded by SSSI conservation land, The Bunker looks out uninterrupted, to the Channel. It is the beautifully realised concept designed by Lincoln Miles and his partner, the artist Lisa Traxler. In a meeting of art and architecture, the house makes the most of its breathtaking position with technical, material and aesthetic innovation throughout. The result is a superb home of around 3,000 sq. ft. that incorporates the existing concrete bunker as a stunning gallery space. In addition, two Nissen huts have been repurposed as studio workspaces and occasional rentals.

The Tour
The historical bunker served as a former Royal Air Force radar station and was ideally positioned to monitor the south coast of Britain during the Second World War, as part
of the Chain Home Network from 1941 until 1947. It is reached along a private lane, and a curved driveway which gradually turns to reveal the house. A parking area for several vehicles becomes a more formal brick paved drive leading under a carport; its canopy a grassy mound that incorporates the building into the hillside. Beneath it is space for more
vehicles, as well as access to the garage and convenient points of entry via the front door, utility and kitchen.

Externally, the house is a combination of fibre cement panels, glazing and the ingenious use of Richlight as brise soleil, all set against the sand-coloured concrete of the bunker and
its blast wall. Richlight was chosen as the material for the fins for its resistance to the coastal elements and its angular perforations, designed by Lisa Traxler, are a nod to the 'dazzle' patterns of camouflage attributed to the marine artist Norman Wilkinson. The doors and windows use a prototype framing system developed by the Designer, employing CNC and paper composite material to achieve their massive spans and heights, which exceed three metres in places, while minimising the frame profiles.
Inside, a long corridor links the two ground floor portions with the kitchen and living space in the south western corner and the bunker occupying the eastern section. Its towering concrete walls create a monolithic cave-like setting and have been used by the current owners as a gallery and events space, though it could be brilliantly repurposed for
entertaining, dining or a recording studio.

Polished concrete with underfloor heating runs underfoot and is set against walls of fair-faced blockwork and spruce cladding overhead. The result is a stripped back aesthetic that belies the fastidious engineering throughout. A lightwell separates the dining space and kitchen which is arranged around a worktop enamelled in Traxler's 'dazzle' design. From
here, a cast concrete staircase curves down to the double height living space where there is a log burner, its chimney wall clad in Bubble-gum aluminium. A wall of south-facing glazing offers sea views beyond rolling fields from both levels.

The corridor contains a mass of storage behind plywood doors and leads to an excellent two-level utility room. There is also a guest WC on this level. The staircase leading to the first floor is also formed from Richlight and echoes the 'dazzle' theme in its perforated balustrade.
The first floor is constructed in CLT and clad in the wonderfully light reflecting spruce, further accentuated by the space given to the generous landing. There are three bedrooms
in this part of the house, one doubling as a library.

The two master bedrooms are oriented to the south, enjoying the same seas views and share of a wide balcony. Pocket doors blur the boundaries and the flow of the level, from
bedroom to dressing room and bathroom allowing for an open plan arrangement when desired. There are two bathrooms between the rooms in which oiled composite cladding
has been used to great effect on the walls.

The Area
The Bunker's position at the foot of the tiny village of St Lawrence, and its far reaching views across the Channel, offer a blissful sense of seclusion and tranquillity. However, the
bustling 'cool vibe' hillside town of Ventnor is less than ten minutes' drive to the east. Its sandy beach lies below tiers of Victorian seaside homes and beach huts and the town has
a plethora of pubs, restaurants and produce shops. Local eateries include The Seapot for a picnic-bench crab sandwich on the water, or the award-winning Smoking Lobster, True
Food Kitchen at Castle Haven and of another world, The Bonchurch Inn is a favourite pub for locals and visitors alike.
A short distance from the seafront, at the Western side of the town, one can stroll through the beautiful award-winning Victorian Ventnor Park which has a bandstand for outdoor
events in the Summer. The park leads onto the famous Ventnor Botanic Gardens at the Undercliff, where the town's micro-climate can be truly appreciated in a 22-acre sub-tropical paradise. A short walk from here lies Steephill Cove, one of the Isle of Wight's best kept secrets, renowned by those in the know as one of the most relaxing beaches on the Island.
Access to the Island is by ferry, either from Portsmouth, Lymington or Southampton. There are good rail connections to all of the port locations, with trains from London to each
being around two hours. Vehicle-carrying services arrive into East Cowes, Fishbourne and Yarmouth. Each ferry port is no longer than 30 minutes' by car to the house.

Outdoor Space
The plot of just over one acre, acts as a grassy extension of the surrounding fields with a gentle border of trees between them. Positioned to the southeast of the main house are two Nissen huts which would have been occupied by defence forces during the Second World War. These have been wonderfully repurposed as studio spaces from which the
current owners work individually. They are internally clad in OSB, insulated and each contains a log burner and washing facilities. The huts could easily be run as holiday lets or be
used as ancillary accommodation.

The Creative Influences
The Bunker was brought back to life by the dynamic and creative duo, Lincoln Miles & Lisa Traxler. They have worked tirelessly to ensure The Bunker is functional yet well-designed, whilst being sympathetic to its once humble beginnings.

About Lincoln Miles
Lincoln Miles is a multi-disciplinary designer whose work crosses from architecture into products, sculpture and the wider visual arts with a specific attention to engineering.
Lincoln Miles Architecture (LMA) has been responsible for the highest concentration of Grand Designs homes in one road in the UK. Featured in the Grand Designs TV series
in 2010, Lincoln was short-listed for the show's awards in 2013 and nominated as one of designer and show presenter Kevin McCloud's Top Ten Grand Design projects.
It also won the RIBA regional award (IOW) in 2011 and the Architects' Journal Small Build Award in 2012.

About Lisa Traxler
Lisa Traxler MRSS, RWS, LG, is an award winning artist with her professional practice crossing the discipline of sculpture and painting. She is an elected member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, the Royal Watercolour Society and The London Group. Her work is held in private and public collections notably Southampton City Art Gallery and the Italian Fabriano Museum to name a few. Her collaborative work with Lincoln led to their winning entry in The Architects' Journal Awards selected by architect Will Alsop. The Bunker is a beautifully laid out sequence of spaces articulated with Lisa's astute design features such as the the dazzle designed geometric staircase, exterior fins, and entrance gate. Her use of materials includes the bespoke hand-painted vitreous enamelled steel kitchen surface.

General Information
Services Mains Electricity. Private water via bore hole with treatment system. Private drainage via Klargester Sewage Treatment Plant. Air Source Heat Pump.

Postcode
PO38 1XR

EPC
Rating C

Council Tax
Band E

Tenure
Freehold

Viewings
Strictly by prior appointment with the selling agents.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: 1. Particulars: These particulars are not an offer or contract, nor part of one. You should not rely on statements by Spence Willard in the particulars or by word of mouth or in writing ('information') as being factually accurate about the property, its condition or its value. Neither Spence Willard nor any joint agent has any authority to make any representations about the property, and accordingly any information given is entirely without responsibility on the part of the agents, seller(s) or lessor(s). 2. Photos etc: The photographs show only certain parts of the property as they appeared at the time they were taken. Areas, measurements and distances given are approximate only. 3. Regulations etc: Any reference to alterations to, or use of, any part of the property does not mean that any necessary planning, building regulations or other consent has been obtained. A buyer or lessee must find out by inspection or in other ways that these matters have been properly dealt with and that all information is correct. 4. VAT: The VAT position relating to the property may change without notice.