People find it hard to believe that this breathtaking contemporary home was once a nondescript and very dated bungalow.

Thankfully, the owner could see that the property, in a sought-after location, just metres from the coast, had vast potential to be dramatically transformed.

Keen to fulfil the brief of building a large, modern family house that maximises the south-facing aspect, I realised this was a wonderful opportunity to create something unique.

My cutting-edge design for this property was inspired by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea – one of the most famous houses of the early 20th Century.

The remodelled home features a striking timber entrance canopy, wrap-around first-floor balcony and south-facing veranda, plus a pergola structure to the open-plan living room and kitchen. The house is partially clad in Western Red Cedar and Iroko.