This 19th century two bedroom terraced house near the centre of York was in need of a complete renovation, most significantly lacking a usable kitchen and bathroom. The project provided very distinct design challenges, primarily the context, desire to maximise available space, a tight budget and aspiration to make the building as low energy as feasible. The design strategy involved converting the roof space to an additional bedroom, and designing a new contemporary extension for the rear of the house, forming an open plan living, kitchen and dining area on the ground floor plus a new bathroom above. The bulk of the extension has been constructed using reclaimed brickwork which sits in contrast against a standing seam of zinc. The building has been thermally upgraded, far exceeding Building Regulations. The project won a York Design Award in 2014 in the category of Restoration, Reuse, Extension including Internal Refurbishment. The judges said of the scheme: “Many of the details made us smile. The pleasure of creation is evident in the many ingenious and delightful details. This is an extremely fine example of a modest Victorian house given a new life in the 21st C.”