Location

Los Angeles, CA

Program

Single Family Home, Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU)

Size

400 square feet

The City of Los Angeles recently passed a new ordinance to simplify the process of adding a second unit on a parcel zoned for a single-family home. This Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) program is intended to encourage greater residential density and lessen the housing shortage in the city.

The formal and organizational strategy presented here is intended as a flexible model to fit within a variety of residential environments and preserve the yard/ open space commonly found in Los Angeles homes.

The scheme consist of four housing modules – each l O feet square – that are supported on two CMU block walls. The block walls serve as vertical armatures that can support the housing modules at a variety of heights based on a simple 8″ block module. This system allows the compiled housing units to mirror the topography of the site or other particular constraints specific to each individual application. The system can be elevated to a point that allows full pedestrian access below the unit to create a dynamic, multi-layered residential and landscape environment without losing valuable space for recreation.