The original Gorsey Bank Cottage comprised a small two storey dwelling which was predominately constructed of rendered brick. A significant portion of the building was an oak framed timber store which has been bricked around and absorbed into the main body of the house. Internally the cottage was cramped with low ceilings and access to rooms through other rooms made the internal layout impractical for a modern family. We explored re-modeling options but it soon became clear that the only realistic solution was demolition and the construction of a new cottage. After a period in the planning process, the proposals for a modern cottage were accepted. With the proximity of the A41 main road, the design was shaped by the desire to eliminate as much road noise as possible. This was achieved by wrapping the public faces of the cottage in a 450mm thick brick wall with minimum window and door openings. To the private side of the cottage, the construction is lightweight in the form of an oak frame structure with timber cladding. The living/dining room enjoys full height windows to exploit the views over the adjacent farmland and the bedroom spaces above are timber clad.