A complete gutting of a ninth-floor penthouse, rebuilt so that the entire apartment takes advantage of the magical views. Every window looks out to the sea or mountains, creating an experience of open space and increased light.

The biggest challenge was that the building itself was old and tired, so the new interior had to do the heavy lifting to create a contemporary, high-end penthouse feel.

Where a concrete column couldn't move, the concrete was ground and polished into a textured feature. A flimsy ladder to the roof was replaced with an in-situ concrete staircase with storage, display space and a wine cellar built underneath.

A new fireplace, hard to do in an existing building and even harder to get approved, turned a summer apartment into a winter one too: see the sea, close it all up, warm the room.

On the roof, a private deck with water, gas and a built-in BBQ, and a remote-controlled awning with wind sensors that closes on its own, creating an extra room to sleep in on summer nights.