The challenge of this project was to tease functional and delightful spaces out of an unpromising and long ignored opportunity. The plot consisted of a narrow 2.8m wide break in an existing terrace, bounded by flank walls on both sides, that had lain vacant for a number of years. To maximise the constrained width whilst not loading the neighbouring structures, the house has been constructed using a lightweight steel frame supported on a piled slab. The steelwork was assembled on-site as a series of portal frames that were craned down the alley and site-welded together. The fully welded frame is expressed and even the depth of the steels utilised in the interior. Externally the walls are clad in handmade pewter glazed tiles. This self-build project has had a long gestation fitted in around professional and family life. The design and construction have been developed as time and money allowed and the result, a highly crafted 2-storey 1-bed house, is a testament to the commitment and effort of many different people, professional and non-professional. The project was shortlisted for the RIBA Grand Designs House of the Year in 2021.