Complete refurbishment of a late 19th Century mid-terrace house in Islington, London, including roof and rear extension. The thermal upgrade package to the property involved the use of alternative low energy materials including earth plaster finishes and the omission of MDF for joinery purposes. Building on the unique history of the Plimsoll line and its relevance to the site, the form of the existing building was used to establish a series of horizontal and vertical reference lines against which the designs were balanced. Our material palette helped to compositionally link old and new.