“Our duty is to preserve what the past has had to say for itself, and to say for ourselves what shall be true in the future.” – John Ruskin. The purpose of the project was to improve the livability of the flat to accommodate the needs of a growing (up) family. The metamorphosis strategy adopted was to extend out to create a flexible family room with the garden as the central focus. Views to and from the garden are framed through panes of (almost) frameless glass. A blackened timber cladding we liken to a snug fitting Balmoral bonnet sits atop this ephemeral border, which makes a striking contrast to the beech timber panels cladding the walls and ceiling of the Lounge. From the comfort of the sofa, the striations of the laminated timber panels direct the eye up towards a small roof light that catches the golden hue of the late afternoon sun. These same beech panels are further employed to articulate the various activity spaces throughout the flat – the reading ‘nook’; the utility shelf; the concealed fire door; the cubbyholes. At the heart of the family room is the undulating bespoke Kitchen island unit. Constructed of oak veneered boards and floating on a sea of concrete this piece of landscaped furniture was designed to encourage the interaction of everyday family life. At the end of the day it is the views framed by this architecture that are most remarkable and eye catching – from the majestic tree ferns in the ‘Zen’ garden to the Chinese Rosebud and Carpinous Domes in the blackened timber planters. And when the last rays of the setting sun hit the Corten BBQ backdrop with a reddish-orange glow… could that be a hint?