obrARCHITECTURE was asked to design the 500 square foot detached garage behind the existing residence into an ADU for friends, family and potential rentals. Conceptually, obrARCHITECTURE believed it was critical to achieve a meaningful dialog with the craftsman-style design of the house, ensuring that the unit would be designed as a part of the lineage of the house’s history rather than subverting it.
Unlike most infill ADU projects, the owner envisioned the ADU to not only function as a space for living and working, but they also desired a space where they could retreat, relax, and enjoy their sunny California home. obrARCHITECURE’s goal was to spatially reorganize the function of the ground floor with the existing structure and provide a connection between the interior and exterior space.
The exploration started with reinforcing the ground floor relationship between the existing residence and the ADU. The ADU entrance was then designed to mirror the existing bifold doors in the main residence. The symmetry in the backyard creates a micro neighborhood with a new swimming pool addition as the center. A sunset-facing roof deck was included to provide an amazing view for guests to enjoy the owner’s craft beer.
The living room, kitchen, and dining space were combined intentionally to align with the roof deck above and natural light is introduced via overhead openings in the living room to make for a natural, warm, and comfortable space. obrARCHITECTURE also provided a separate private entrance to this unit to add more flexibility for potential future rental options.
