The eerie beauty of Dungeness, an unlikely contemporary architecture epicentre

Wild, raw and resolutely unforgiving, Dungeness is one of the world’s most unlikely hubs of contemporary architectural expression.

Overlooked by the hulking silhouette of a decommissioned nuclear power station, this desert-like sweep of shingle on the Kent coast is a place of unpredictable contrast. One where untamed natural beauty and man-made structures knit improbably, but seamlessly, together. Where abandoned rail carriages, salt-scoured fishermen’s huts and the hulls of upturned fishing boats are interspersed with flashes of modern design.

Discover the raw beauty of Dungeness

Protected as a National Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest with few boundaries and nowhere to hide from the elements, it is not easy to build on this vast, exposed headland. But for many architects, designers and creatives, that’s all part of the draw. 'You are designing and building at the highest level here because you have to create something that is both architecturally interesting and weatherproof,' says Guy Hollaway, founder of Hollaway Studio, who has designed four properties on the Dungeness estate.

Wallpaper* travelled to this beautifully bleak edge of England to find out what makes the UK’s largest expanse of shingle so magnetic.

What makes Dungeness special?

Though long associated with Prospect Cottage – the home of artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman until his death in 1994 – and its shingle garden, Dungeness’ creative identity stretches far beyond a singular landmark. Today, it is as much a living laboratory for contemporary design and creativity as it is a site of artistic pilgrimage.

The peninsula is defined by its curiosities: former railway carriages dot the site – sold off in the 1920s as DIY homes for rail workers after the line serving the area was decommissioned, later dragged onto the shingle – and miniature steam locomotives chuff through the estate each day, winding their way along the world-renowned Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway.

Then there is the magnitude of the space. Aside from the power station and two landmark lighthouses, the estate is largely devoid of visual clutter. There are no boundaries, gates or fences, few trees, little vegetation. Buildings are typically low-slung, braced against high winds. The result is an expansive, canvas-like landscape flooded with natural, ever-changing light. 'Dungeness is like a gallery space,' says Hollaway. 'It turns architecture into sculptures. That’s why the area has become attractive to so many architects.'

What defines the area’s modern architecture?

From the charred black timber of NORD architects’ Shingle House to the 'improvisation and bodge' of Simon Conder Associates’ Black Rubber House and El Ray and from the unassuming rust-red exterior of Fiona Naylor’s Radar to the weathered, silver-hued wooden façade of Guy Hollaway’s Pobble House, the area is home to a broad range of architecturally arresting yet understated contemporary properties.

No two buildings on the headland are the same, yet most have been designed to blend into the wider fabric of the area while holding their own on a vast coastal plain.

Some reinterpret original, unsalvageable structures – Shingle House, for example, is made up of three separate elements connected by glazed corridors designed to match the shape and size of the dilapidated house and sheds they replaced – where others are radical examples of adaptive reuse. Reflecting the area’s industrial past, disused maritime and technological structures have been reimagined as homes, including the Pump Station, the Experimental Station, and Radar, a former research base painstakingly restored by architect and designer Fiona Naylor into what she describes as a 'private sanctuary'.

Naylor, co-founder of Clerkenwell-based design practice Johnson Naylor, has worked on – and lived in – a swathe of properties across Dungeness after falling in love with the area’s light – 'even on a grey day' – nearly three decades ago. The Coastguard Lookout, a disused tower she converted with her late husband, the journalist and photographer Peter Marlow, into their first family home on the site back in the early 2000s, exemplifies how Dungeness’ history shapes its modern architecture.

By retaining the original 1950s structure and appearance of the tower and focusing instead on reimagining the interior, the building is not about making a statement on the skyline. It is a response to the climate, the history and the surroundings. That means a focus on defence and shelter rather than ornament or embellishment. This, adds Naylor, is the essence of designing for Dungeness. 'It’s all about being very quiet architecturally,' she says. 'Everything here is visually subtle from the outside.'

Architectural challenges in Dungeness

Building here is an exercise in endurance. One where planning restrictions are plentiful and stringent, and aesthetics are tested by exposure and brutal meteorological extremes. 'I think a lot of people come here and don’t quite realise just how dramatic the weather can be,' says Naylor.

'There have been storms here that have completely remodelled the beach and have lifted up 30mm-thick, 800x800 stone slabs and flipped them across the deck,' says Naylor. 'We have had water coming through the walls only to discover it was being physically pushed through the saturated brickwork by the pressure of high winds.'

'The more protected the properties are externally, the better,' adds Hollaway. 'Then you get the benefit of this massive contrast when you get inside. You can make a house look like it’s weathering the storm from the outside, but inside it’s warm and cosy – often with incredible, uninterrupted views.'

What endures here, above all else, is resilience. Buildings that may seem modest against the elements reveal spaces of warmth, light and quiet contemplation within.

Are there more projects in the pipeline?

Yes. Doodle House, Hollaway Studio’s much-anticipated project for cartoonist Mr Doodle, incorporating two former train carriages and a laser-cut rusted metal façade, was granted planning last year, and Westview Cottage, a timber and corrugated steel-clad property boasting one of the longest unbroken views across the Dungeness estate, is due to complete this month.

Then there is Windwhistle, another Hollaway Studio design, on which work has started on site and is due to be completed in 2027. A historic, 47ft-long former railway carriage will be embedded into the wider home design, which will include a sheltered external daybed area and a sunken bath with double aspect views out over the sea on one side and across to one of the area’s iconic lighthouses on the other.

Did you know?

This unique, atmospheric corner of the country is a sought-after filming location for film, TV and music videos. Most recently, Mika filmed the music video for his latest single ‘Excuses for Love’ in and around Dungeness, including lengthy scenes on the famed miniature railway.

Planning a visit?

For sustenance, Dungeness Snack Shack – a ramshackle hut on the beach – serves local fish and seafood straight from the boats. Beyond the headland, the cobbled streets of Rye, the White Cliffs of Dover and the open expanses of Romney Marsh offer further exploration. And with boutique hotel brand The Gallivant set to open a second outpost on Littlestone Beach in summer 2026, the Kent coast’s design credentials continue to gather momentum.