The brief for this project was quite simple - the client loved his home but did not like its appearance. It is a 1970s chalet with unattractive external finishes and proportions, with an ugly 2000s carport built on the east elevation which was overly high because it had been built to fit a tall camper van. The client wanted to remove the carport but still needed covered car parking and storage for skis and bicycles. In addition, he had already converted the garage to be habitable space and needed to obtain permission for replacing the old garage door with a glass one. The client also wanted ideas for landscaping, terracing, and planting. He wanted to spend more time enjoying outdoor living and appreciating the incredible views - the glaciers tumbling down from the summit of Mont Blanc loomed above the chalet. My design concept was to create an extension on both sides of the chalet, built into the terrain and for the most part underground with one side for bikes and garden equipment, and the other being a garage connecting to the house. The design had flat roofs for both structures, with terraces above. Access to either side of the extensions was designed with a shallow slope with widely spaced steps made from oak beams and gravel in-between. There was a local regulation forbidding habitable space on the ground floor due to avalanche and flooding risks but planning permission was granted on the basis that the new area behind the existing garage door could only be used as a technical room and workshop for bikes and skis so the glass doors were allowed, and the client was very happy! *