As close to a blank slate as possible

There are two times during the building process when you are faced with a world with infinite possibilities: one is during the first meeting with your architect, when you share your vision; and secondly, when the land has been cleared of debris, stripped down to dirt and grass.

In both cases you can say, let’s begin! Let’s make something splendid!

Like a marriage, everything you eventually build will be a matter of compromise. You want a view? Then given the land constraints you will need to climb a few flights of stairs. You want plenty of garden space? Then create parking under the building. You want privacy from renters? Create access that’s clearly distinguishable for the rental space, but that is just as welcoming as our private space.

The world of infinite choice has been narrowed and refined with the architectural team. The next phase is to make the plans real.

Onward.