This new house with detached croquet partition replaces an original commercial café building towards the street front which had fallen into disrepair. The siting of the house makes best use of established trees and favourable north light to principal rooms. The client brief was to keep the footprint of the house compact and simple. Careful attention was paid to thermal performance and breathability, with materials having to satisfy a bushfire code. A substantial firefighting water reservoir sits beneath the croquet cottage which is used for guest accommodation.