Knight Gratrix Architects were commissioned design a bespoke, contemporary and distinctive house for this unique and prominent site. Marine Parade is one of the few roads in the Borough that benefits from uninterrupted panoramic views of the Thames Estuary. It was imperative the design reflected this distinctive position and maximise the aspect and views to the coast. The scale and mass of the new dwelling had to be sympathetic to the wider streetscene but the design was to be individual, modern and distinct from the surrounding structures. The original house was of very poor architectural quality, built in the 1970’s and in a poor state of disrepair. The structure was demolished, however the general footprint, height and mass used as the generator for the new design. The initial concept was to design a “traditional” house with traditional materials and design features i.e. two storey plus roof, rendered walls, projecting bays, slate roof, but to interpret the form in a contemporary manner. Large areas of glass were designed to maximise the aspect from the property but also to provide vertical and horizontal emphasis to the design. The careful placement of the windows served to increase the elemental approach to the fenestration and create articulated and well defined elevations The most distinctive and recognisable elements to the design are the projecting gabled roof and the angled ground floor bay. In essence these features are fairly conventional, with their origins found in the neighbouring and surrounding properties. However simple adjustments to the scale, orientation and detail significantly change the character of the property. The ridge line is extended to project beyond the building line and the ground floor bay designed as an asymmetrical structure, as a result the property immediately assumes a more contemporary appearance. These simple architectural moves together with an elemental approach to the positioning and palette of materials has allowed KGA to create a house of a scale and mass that blends effortlessly within the streetscape whilst remaining unashamedly modern as an example of contemporary Estuarial architecture