The brief for the project was to design a resource efficient home on a modest budget; one which the clients would foresee living in on a long term basis. Low embodied energy in materials, low energy consumption in operation, and low water usage were the principal objectives of the brief. The choice of strawbale as a wall material provided a good solution to meet several of these objectives but instead of allowing the traditional use of this unconventional material to dictate the design, we wanted to use it in a modern way for a contemporary style house. Traditionally a favourite with owner builders and alternative life-stylers, we wanted to expand the repertoire of this flexible material and use it within a contemporary style to show that strawbale building need not only be suitable for a small niche market, but can also serve the needs of modern lifestyles and address the ever increasing concerns of climate change.