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Doomsday Homes

Location: Suffolk, United Kingdom
Price: N/A
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: N/A
Square footage: N/A

Martello Tower Y in Suffolk began life in 1808 as a defense tower, to guard the shoreline and store ammunition. In 2000 it was bought as a derelict but still sturdy property by industrial designer Duncan Jackson of Billings Jackson Design. It’s protected as a Scheduled Monument on the Buildings at Risk register, so it was a combination conservation and restoration project. The curvy wooden roof over the terrace is one of the only clues to its current use.

With its 360-degree views of the surrounding fields and waters, the tower is still capable of serving its original function of spotting and fending off attackers. The 13-foot-thick brick walls make it energy-efficient to heat and ensure that little cooling is necessary. But because it’s a coastal property in a flood plain, it would not work as a refuge from flooding disasters.