David, the Irishman, and his Thai wife owned the prime beach-front land, which in 1989 was still a plain, featureless rectangle sloping in part away from the beach. John, the Englishman, who together with his Balinese wife had created Poppies Bali, beginning in 1973, took on the challenge of working out the design concept for a luxurious hideaway on a very limited piece of land, the shortcomings of which were overcome with an elaborate plan to build 10 extra cottages and a garden above the lobby at the rear of the property.