Beginning as a conversation over a bottle of gin, an old friend of the practice initially asked us to design a place for a car and workshop. Soon developing into an extensive brief, the building would require more living space, a place to work and the potential, if family and friends are staying over, for a place to sleep, wash and cook. Separated in two halves, the workshop faces onto the road at the back of the property, whilst living and guest accommodation open out to the garden and main house.

The sleeping accommodation has been slotted neatly into the pitch of the truss. A panel hides a bespoke plywood staircase which pulls out on rails, providing access to the sleeping space above, whilst tucking away a wardrobe, shower room and kitchenette. The flexible space has become a focal point for birthday parties, Christmas lunches as well as an apartment to retire to at the end of the evening.

Designed as a kit of parts to be built by the client, all of the components have been modelled around the size of a sheet of plywood. The building is composed from a series of pre-fabricated insulated panels and steel portal frames, bolting together in a similar fashion to a Meccano kit. The exterior cladding is formed from panels of oak strips connected through mortice and tenon.