Today’s building is chosen by Hugh Pearman, editor of RIBAJ.

Tweet @WhatBuilding and let us know what building this is to win a prize.*

*There is no prize.

Belle Tout by Ted Cullinan

Belle Tout is a squat lighthouse dating from 1834 on the cliff edge near Beachy Head on the south coast. It had been used for military target practice during the Second World War, so it was full of holes. As a student in 1956 Ted Cullinan restored it and added a little house to it in vaguely Corbusian style with lots of little windows (he’d just cycled to the then brand-new Ronchamp chapel and back). This was for his parents, Edward and Joy and was his first completed building.

The cliff eroded so in 1999 (by now in different ownership) the whole thing was rolled back down the slope from the cliff edge. Dominic Cullinan of architects SCABAL redesigned the house with a new lower ground floor etc.

Now it’s a tiny hotel.  I reckon we’ll all be so used to being in isolation and avoiding people – especially crowds – that when we emerge, a remote retreat like this will be just the thing.