One of the main challenges of this project was the sloping site, which resulted in the existing garden being at considerably lower level than the main house, accessible only by means of steps from a side door to the kitchen. After consideration of various options, the agreed solution was to lower the floor level in the complete outrigger. This enabled us to create a large, open-plan kitchen/living space at the rear of the house, to provide direct, level access to the garden by means of full-height bi-fold doors, and to bring the semi-basement area into use as part of the enlarged kitchen/living space. In addition, a small extension was added to the side of the existing house, which considerably enlarged the kitchen/living area, allowing the introduction of an island unit and a more practical arrangement of the kitchen and dining spaces. Instead of the kitchen being cut off from the rest of the house, it will now be at the heart of the home, with ample space around it for dining, relaxing and access to the garden. Lowering the floor has also resulted in an increase in the room height, which creates the scale and outlook appropriate to the new function of this space.