Previous attempts by another architect to gain planning permission for a dwelling on this site had failed due to the perceived harm of a proposed two-storey replacement for the existing garage. Instead of forcing an intrusive new structure into a constrained setting and defending its impacts after the fact, we let the site’s limitations inform the design from the outset. By mapping neighbouring windows’ rights to light in section and elevation, we were able to define the precise volume that could be accommodated. The result is a distinctive and contemporary first-floor addition that nests sensitively within the existing garage footprint—creating a spacious new home without compromising neighbouring amenity.