At the course in question (Wianno on Cape Cod), two of the first things that Gil Hanse recommend for us was widening the fairways and eliminating our step cut.
WIDTH- The extra width in the fairways certainty accentuated our landforms, but it also set the stage for restoring some of the bunkers in question. The added width allowed for these bunkers to be just off center to the line of play rather than right down the middle. Certainly these bunkers would have had far less strategic (and aesthetic) appeal had they been bordered by heavy rough on one side.
STEP CUT - While the suggestion of widening the fairways did not surprise me, the far ranging implications of eliminating the step cut did. Once gone, we were free to have the short grass run into the sand (or as close as is practically possible) - effectively enlarging the size of these hazards and rendering them more effective. (It's maybe worth noting that we have a 12" collar of native on the back sides of these bunkers for accent. This native is maintained so as to NOT be ball catcher.)
SHAPE & SIZE - As an earlyish DR design (and one where it seems he did not spend much time), to me the remaining original bunker complexes tend to be slightly more geometric, smaller and abrupt than his later/more developed work.
In my mind, the combination of extra width on our fairways, the elimination of the step cut and the small/abrupt nature of these bunkers makes them work - and work well. Wianno is a short, fun par 70 at just over 6,000 yards, and the restoration (1 hole) and addition (3 holes) of these new bunkers has been a huge improvement. While I am confident that we have not employed too much of a good thing, I keep wondering if I will ever hear opinions to the contrary...