A street-facing ADU presents a sculptural façade with an expressive sloped partition wall that's punctuated by a large circular opening which, at once, conceals and reveals what’s beyond the parapet.
Contrary to the typical residential lot, the 620 sf ADU is situated at the front given that the existing suburban 1961 ranch-style single-story house is pushed all the way to the edge of a ravine, overlooking Hahamongna Watershed Park. The introduction of two new structural forms—the ADU and storage, are designed to intentionally challenge the prosaic post-and-beam house at the back of the lot.
The geometric forms, voids and openings of the front façade are driven primarily by programmatic requirements. Built on a raised foundation, the necessity for stairs and a deck to access the ADU helps integrate an outdoor sitting area to enjoy coffee or reading a book behind the partition, which also acts as a protective barrier for privacy. The curvature of the roof eaves respond not only to the curved wall but is configured to invite natural daylight into the dwelling. The resultant façade evolves into a compelling composition where the arched entry of the storage mimics the curvilinear forms of the ADU, allowing the two volumes to read as a singular entity. A pathway between the ADU and the storage leads to a centralized courtyard space and the main house, connecting the dwellings to the outdoors as a way of shared, intergenerational living.
