The founders of California-based 3R Studio have created a compact, live-work unit for themselves called Evelyn ADU that consists of two gabled volumes connected by a glazed bridge.
Located in the rear yard of a 1938 home in Albany, a town near Berkeley, the project was designed "in response to the increasing density within the urban landscape of the Bay Area," said local firm 3R Studio.
The architecture firm's married co-founders Mai Tran and Le Pham bought the home in 2015, moved into its tiny basement and rented out the upper portion. Their goal was to save money to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) for themselves on the 3,800-square-foot (353-square-metre) property.
The founders of 3R Studio have built an accessory dwelling unit for themselves in the Bay Area Last year, they completed the ADU ? a 630-square-foot (59-square-metre) building that "navigates the limitations of a compact site".
"Encircled by tall apartment buildings, it addressed challenges related to privacy, sunlight, and integration with neighbouring structures," the studio said.
It has two distinct volumes
"Situated amidst urban density, it's a backyard retreat in a bustling urban context."
Rather than a single block, the wood-framed building consists of two offset bars clad in white stucco and linked by a glass-enclosed corridor. The bars are topped with gabled roofs, mimicking the style of the property's main home.
The ADU is organised around its own private...