The story of the iconic pink house that I would never have guessed was built in the eighties

While editing a recent international wedding we featured on Vogue Adria, the detail I couldn’t get out of my mind was the location. Something I’d normally overlook at events like that simply wouldn’t let me go this time. With its clean lines, airy openness, light-filled rooms, and magnetically soft pink hue, it was the house that stood out to me in a sea of beige tones. And the more I dug into it, the more fascinating the story became.

“Peter Phillips, the well-known English pop artist, and his wife Claude invited us to Mallorca in 1985. They had just moved there and called it paradise, even though Mallorca didn’t have the best reputation at the time. We arrived on the island and were stunned by its beauty and untouched nature. During the first week, we bought a plot of land and planned to build a traditional finca,” Caroline Neuendorf, the owner and visionary behind the house that bears her name, told me when I reached out to uncover the story behind this architectural gem. My first thought was: this is a house from the eighties, yet it looks so contemporary—almost frozen in time.

Photo: Marc Escudé

I also learned that Caroline is the daughter of German painter Georg Karl Pfahler, and that while studying art history at Paris’s École du Louvre, she met her future husband Hans Neuendorf, the renowned art dealer and founder of Artnet. Suddenly, everything made artistic sense. “I grew up in the art world since my father was an artist. Hans and I shared a deep connection. We traveled a lot in search of artists, and I learned a great deal from him about running a gallery,” Caroline told me, speaking with the same care and artistic sensibility she now brings to managing the Neuendorf House.

Bringing the story back to its beginning, I asked how such a beauty was even conceived in those distant eighties. “In Porto Ercole, Italy, I met John Pawson—and that changed everything,” Caroline recalls without hesitation. “The idea was to have a holiday home. It wasn’t an ambitious project, and the house was never meant to become famous. In fact, it was the first house ever built by those two architects, and the only one they designed together—Silvestrin and Pawson. After that, they went their separate ways: one worked for Armani, the other for Calvin Klein, among others.”

Photo: Tasha Tylee

The island of Mallorca was, and still is, the main inspiration for this house—along with the materials the architects used, the details found in old Mallorcan homes, and the fact that its structure echoes those often seen across southern countries. “The inner courtyard and small windows protect from the sun,” Caroline added. I asked her what the secret to its longevity is (because if architectural longevity exists, this house embodies it). “The secret lies in the trust between the two architects and the client, who shared a strong aesthetic sensibility and a similar vision. It was a rare and fortunate combination.”

Photo: Marc Escudé

The house is now both a family retreat for the Neuendorfs and a place for guests who wish to stay there. Occasionally, it hosts intimate weddings or special events, and each year one artist completes a residency on-site. “We also organize educational visits for students from the AA School in London (Architectural Association School of Architecture). That’s where Claudio Silvestrin and John Pawson first met as students, and they continue to support our project by teaching students who come from all over the world,” Caroline explained. She now runs the art residencies and architectural tours with the help of her four children. “It’s a gift and a great joy,” she said.

Photo: Tasha Tylee

I find myself wondering what it feels like to wake up in a house that instantly makes you want to slow down—to live through every view, every glimpse, every breath of nature, to truly experience the present moment. “There are many moments I particularly love in this house. The constant play of light and shadow, the meditative atmosphere, and the sense of proportion all have a calming effect on me. The surrounding nature and tranquility represent true luxury in today’s world.”

Photo: Marc Escudé

Through the tone of her answers, I can sense how passionate Caroline is about this family project—something she openly confirms. “I especially enjoy showing the house to young, ambitious architects, and it means a lot to me when guests staying here have a wonderful experience. I’m deeply devoted to every aspect of the Neuendorf House, and my goal is to make each stay unforgettable.” Simple luxury and silence come to mind almost instinctively every time I try to describe what I see. I ask Caroline how her day begins here. “I wake up early to enjoy my coffee by the pool and watch the sunrise while listening to the birds. I love to swim in the 40-meter pool early in the morning. Even in winter, when it’s cold, after swimming I have my coffee in the smaller heated pool while the jacuzzi gently bubbles.”

Photo: Marc Escudé

As a holiday home, the Neuendorf House can accommodate up to ten guests, with five bedrooms, and children are more than welcome. “We have everything they need — a shallow kids’ pool, a playhouse, and much more. We even have a clay tennis court, probably the only one in the world built into the ground. We’re just 4 km from the sea and a five-minute drive from the charming village of Santanyí,” Caroline points out. I immediately ask if there are any new plans for this timeless lady (as if a house like this should need plans — its views, calm, and silence seem more than enough). “Of course there are plans,” she replies unexpectedly. “I’m always working to make this place even more beautiful while preserving its original features. We’re planning to add a gym, a sauna, and a pétanque area, as well as several additional programs for our guests so they can experience all the wonders Mallorca has to offer.” Finally, I jokingly offer to house-sit whenever the owners are away, and I truly believe that one day, the Neuendorf House and I will meet.