Palisades ADU
Type

Residential

Location

Santa Monica

Date

2020

Team

Lisa Little, Kristy Velasco, Aly Cornelius, Jiachen Wei

A Santa Monica family adds two new structures ­­– an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and a garage – forming a three-component parti with their existing home. The newly composed trio encircles the backyard and deck, organizing around a private exterior living room. When open, a large pivot door further emphasizes this connection and acts as a shade structure. The two structures, which are highly visible from the main home, read as sculptural forms, while their laser cut facades mask their architectural programs. The screens create privacy between structures and a subtle lantern-effect in the evening.  The roof orientations differ, capitalizing on maximum solar collection efficiency for one structure and maximum power during peak demand for the other.