The glass and steel section is connected at the first floor (there are eight levels of living space) by an enclosed glass bridge. A double-height entrance and a shocking pink lift and staircase should grab visitors' attention. The highlight, however, has to be a steel box observatory at the top of the tower that replaces an old water tank, boasting 360-degree views of Crystal Palace and the windmills of Kent.

"On a good day," according to Loates-Taylor, "you can see five or six counties."

But the restoration of the tower had problems from day one. "We had to get rid of a colony of pigeons," explains Loates-Taylor. "Special pest-control guys in breathing gear and suits had to clear away a couple of tons of pigeon poo, which is really toxic, asbestos-like stuff. There are still a few pigeons that keep coming back looking a bit puzzled. When you are mucking about with old buildings, they always surprise you."

Sandblasting has cleaned up this old edifice on Shooters Hill, which now boasts white and chrome Philippe Starck bathrooms, walnut and stone floors and bespoke lighting from Kevin Shaw Lighting in Glasgow. Another feature that breaks up the utilitarian brickwork is aluminium, powder-coated windows so beloved by architects these days. Loates-Taylor jokes that architects only see the world in grey and silver: "We introduce little flashes of colour every so often to show we can."