This Edwardian semi had well planned reception rooms to the front of the house but was poorly planned to the rear and garden. Our response was to form a single unified room along the back of the house, including kitchen, dining and day room, with views and access to the garden. A utility core is arranged laterally across the plan, and structural piers define individual spaces within the otherwise-open plan. A shallow-pitch rooflight runs across the entire width, filling all the rooms with light. A two-way etched glass canopy animates the space with changing shadow and patterns of light throughout the day, and is repeated externally as a cantilever, providing shade and privacy.