The brief was to design an individual, sustainable house and to take advantage of the large garden to the rear of the client’s property in Badgworth. Planning Policy allowed development within the village boundary at that time so the clock was ticking to obtain approval before it changed. Collier Reading designed the house, obtained planning permission and then detailed this highly efficient construction consisting of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) and an oak “cruck” frame which meant that on site construction time was halved with the resultant savings in preliminary costs. We prepared a detailed schedule of works document and negotiated with local contractor, Corkish Construction, administering a building contract on site to ensure all remained on budget and programme to produce an iconic building in this rural part of Somerset. The house incorporates many energy saving features such as air source heat pumps, heat recovering extract systems, rainwater harvesting and photo voltanic roof cells and the internal spaces are very light and spacious. Overall a distinctive, efficient, modern house has been created with a very traditional oak frame as a central feature.