PROJECT: RUSTIC MODERN COTTAGE ADU

LOCATION: LOS ANGELES, CA

TYPE: RESIDENTIAL

Designed with local construction practices and site conditions in mind, this 800-square-foot ADU offers an open layout that feels deeply connected to the outdoors. Its rustic-modern character combines a clean, simple aesthetic with thoughtful planning, creating a silent dialogue between the house, the landscape, and the everyday rituals of living.

The house is conceived as a system of relationships—between inside and outside, between spaces and activities, and between moments of gathering and solitude. The open plan allows the kitchen to belong simultaneously to the dining and living spaces while retaining a subtle sense of separation. It is neither completely open nor entirely enclosed, creating an ambiguity that allows the inhabitant to interpret the boundaries and experience the space in their own way.

Carefully recessed windows deepen this relationship, framing the landscape while giving the architecture the presence of a weathered ruin. The walls appear to hold traces of something that existed before, leaving room for the imagination to complete the story of where the house came from.

At only 38 feet long, the ADU can be positioned either parallel to the rear property line or along the side yard, providing flexibility to adapt to different site conditions and backyard configurations. Its compact footprint allows the architecture to settle naturally into the landscape while making every space purposeful.

2 Bedrooms | 2 Bathrooms