The existing “wagon house” on a classic long and narrow plot of land typical for Romania had developed over generations through the traditional connecting of rooms one after the other. Like many others of its kind, it no longer met the current usage requirements in any way and was to be demolished or abandoned. The structural fabric of the building was to be largely preserved to allow the residents to continue living in a home steeped in history. The two basic problems of this type, lighting and access to every room, are solved by a simple but radical architectural gesture. By adding a long living room on the side and transforming one indoor room into a central outdoor space, every room gains direct access and is lit naturally through an intimate courtyard. Small gable roofs replace the unsound roof and trace the outline of the house’s original cells. As a result, the new living space emerges from the existing structure and is given its own unique character at the same time. The building shape and homogeneous metal skin are reminiscent of warehouse or commercial buildings and an ironic play on the many parasitic uses that the city’s living quarters have to battle with.