AwomanisrecalledtoBritainfromtheArctic,whereshehasspenttwentyyearsworkingwithpeoplewhobuildtheirhousesfromsnow,andgiventhetaskofinvestigating'thepredicamentofthehouse'.ShediscoversthatinBritain,unlikeinJapan,theglobaleconomyhasnotmanagedtobringdownthepriceofnewhouses,andindeedtheprincipaleffectofthedigitaleconomyhasbeentocreatewealthwhichhasraisedthemarketpriceoftheexisting,dilapidatedhousingstock.Inasupermarket,thekindofbuildingtowhichthetechniquesoflow-costmassbuildinghavebeensuccessfullyapplied,shemeetsanoldfriendandtheyfallinlove;theylookforsomewheretosettledown.