A scalloped roofline defines this playful backyard studio that Los Angeles architects Byben & Skeens completed for a writer and filmmaker to have a "solitary space for creation".
The compact project replaces a derelict shack in the steeply terraced back yard of a new homeowner's property in LA's Echo Park neighbourhood.
White stucco walls wrap the small writing studio
"The previous owner decorated the backyard in a lyrical antique style, with circuitous crumbling stairs winding up the hill and a hand-made shack on the brink of collapse," explained architects Byben & Skeens.
"Inspired by the whimsical setting, the client wanted to replace it with a writing studio and guest house that evoked the past but was firmly contemporary." The interiors are neutral, with touches of colour added through textiles
The 480-square-foot (45-square-metre) building is rendered in white stucco, with arched openings that recall the Art Deco style that can be found all over LA.
It contains a single room that the client uses as a writing studio or occasional guest house, with a toilet at the back.
"To the west a full-length skylight illuminates the room, the light modulated and diffused by a curved wall sweeping into the space below," said Byben & Skeens.
The wood-framed windows and doors have arched tops
Two separate entrances lead into the building: one from the back yard, where large double doors allow the interior to be open to the elements; ...