Phased development is in progress for a trio of houses just outside of Cambridge, with the first house recently completed. We drew design inspiration from two specific elements of the site: the wide, flat landscape of the Cambridge fens, and a very large plane tree located on the southern edge of the plot. In response, we developed a pared-down architecture composed of simple vertical and horizontal elements: long flat roofs with deep overhangs create a visual counterpoint to the many trees on site, while stacked masonry walls create a further contrast. The interior of the largest house, which is to be retained by the client, is designed around a double-height living space, inspired by the traditional medieval ‘hall house’. The smallest is a single-storey courtyard house.