Let there be light: superellipse-shaped eco-home in Dorset harnesses so much daylight there's no need to turn the lights on

An eco home built in a superellipse shape in an area of outstanding natural beauty in south-west England is on the market for £1.2million.

Five-bedroom Nutmeg House near Bridport in Dorset, is built in the shape of a superellipse, a term invented by Danish poet, philosopher and mathematician Piet Hein in 1959 when he entered a design competition for a city square in Stockholm.

He went on to use the shape — neither round nor rectangular — in beds, dishes, tables and other artefacts.

At Nutmeg House, built in 2012, the curved shape means the house is filled with natural light throughout the day.

Owner Lisa Loader explains that the house was built around the location of the sun so that it isn't too bright in the summer but nor is it gloomy in winter.

In fact, the house harnesses natural light so well, the lights don't need to be turned on until late in the evening, adding to the property's eco credentials.

Sitting in a secluded location with far-reaching views over the the Bride Valley, the oak-clad house was designed by architect Barnaby Gunning to have as low an impact on the environment as possible without being fully off-grid, as well as to fit into the surrounding Dorset countryside.

Design details include triple-glazing, solar panels and extensive insulation, which have all contributed to the property being given a very rare A rating for energy efficiency and meaning it has very low running costs.

Many of the interior furnishings have also been recycled or reclaimed, including sinks from a school science lab.

A bright entrance hall welcomes visitors, while the large open plan kitchen/dining room forms part of the ground floor with floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading out to the garden, which has a wood-burning stove for chilly evenings.

"I had always dreamt about living in a roundhouse. I wanted something that sat right in the hillside and looked like it belonged in nature," says Loader.

"I like the feeling of being outside when you're inside."

The ground floor also has a playroom leading from the living room and a separate sitting room with a built-in bookcase, plus an office and bathroom.

Upstairs, the master bedroom sits at one end of a corridor and has an en-suite bathroom and dressing room and a set of double doors for privacy.

A further four bedrooms lead off the corridor, one of which features an en-suite bathroom, while the family bathroom has minimal décor to highlight the stunning views it overlooks.

The grounds extend to approximately 5.5 acres of lawns and areas of wild garden with bluebell woods and a field overlooking the Jurassic coast.

A separate timber-framed workshop building has the same oak cladding as the main house.

"I'd love someone who would love the land as well as the house," says Loader. "Someone who will also appreciate the light and the location."

The house is on sale for £1.2 million through The Modern House.