Our client came to us with a site occupied by two poor quality houses looking to achieve three new build homes; we achieved four, increasing the site GDV by 25%. The layout is 'upside down': bedrooms in the basement and ground, living and kitchen diner on the first, and garden on the roof. This prevents the small gardens from being North-facing and unable to receive sunlight. The South-facing living room and garden above are subsequently bathed in light in all seasons. The use of perforated metal cladding imbues a sense of lightness and creates semi-private pergola spaces for each garden. The fourth house is a courtyard layout, embracing the tight overlooking issues we faced in planning.