A space specifically designed for calm and reflection? That’s what inspired the making of The Life House. Created by The School of Life in collaboration with British architect John Pawson, The Life House is located in an isolated valley in central Wales. 
Offering retreats that run for a week, visitors are able to benefit from true quiet, disconnection and ‘time out’. With a range of simple and stunning rooms including the Music Bedroom, the Library Bedroom and the Bathing Bedroom, they also offer therapeutic activities and inspiring walks in the landscape are not far away.
Influenced by the architecture of Benedictine monks and Japanese design, The Life House is truly minimalist. White and bright, built from handmade Danish bricks and featuring a polished terrazzo floor, the design is simple and considered, right down to every little detail.
One unique feature of the space is the Contemplation Chamber - a bare room that’s designed to help visitors become more aware, empty their mind of thoughts and give them the space to simply sit quietly, alone, in a room – something we rarely (if ever) do.
Within this chamber, the inscription of a quote by Pascal – ‘All of man’s unhappiness is caused by his inability to stay quietly in a room by himself’ – seems to perfectly capture the heart of the retreat. In today’s world, we are surrounded by information, technology and advertising. We are distracted on a daily basis and we are, in a way, addicted to distraction – constantly reaching to our phones when bored or waiting, instead of simply being. A yearly retreat seems the perfect answer. Time to get away, to reconnect with our body and our mind in a place that encourages us to get back to what really matters.
We believe in fostering a simpler way of living and The Life House is a beautiful way of helping people embrace greater self-awareness and provides a guiding step towards simplicity and connection.
We’ll leave you with these beautiful words from The School of Life.
‘We believe that architecture has a fundamental role to play in mental health and wellbeing. The Life House is an embodiment of our commitment to the education of the spirit.’
Don’t forget to watch the video to take a peek inside too, and if you happen to book your own stay, let us know what the experience is like!
