Vicksburg ADU
West Los Angeles, CA
This former two-car garage is unrecognizable as it was transformed into a a spacious accessory dwelling unit.
A new outdoor room with a fireplace and seating area was created between the existing house and the new ADU.
Vicksburg ADU - West Los Angeles, CA
The existing property consisted of a small, standard 1940’s house with a detached garage in the rear of the property. For this project, we transformed the garage by expanding it slightly into the yard and creating a one bedroom, one bathroom accessory dwelling unit (ADU) with an open kitchen, living and dining area that the family will use as an entertaining space and guest bedroom.
We retained the existing slope of the gable roof on one side and extended it out to create a new shed roof for the larger footprint. This created dramatic, high ceilings and opportunities for ample natural daylight.
The use of many glass doors in the corner facing the existing house creates a communal space between the two buildings. A small loft area over the storage room adds a built in playhouse space for the family’s child.
Floor Area: 720 sf
Construction Budget: $350/sf
Completion Date: January 2020
Photos by Creative Vision Studios
All new landscaping surrounds the ADU, including permeable paving at the outdoor dining area, new plantings and a stormwater system to capture rainwater for irrigation.
First Floor Plan
A design rendering of the ADU used in the design process
Two sets of sliding glass doors meet at the northeast corner of the ADU to better connect to the backyard and the main house.
A metal-clad eave wraps the corner of the building between the clerestory windows and glass doors, providing protection for those doors and a good place for down lights.
Inside there is one large open great room with a corner kitchen that is excellent for both entertaining and visiting guests.
The corner kitchen has stainless steel appliances, clean finishes and plenty of space to both work and socialize.
The two sets of sliding glass doors at the corner of the ADU provide open space between the kitchen of the ADU and the back door of the existing house.
Corner clerestory windows bring lots of natural light inside the space.
A classic library ladder provides access to the play loft while also being able to slide out of the way for access to the restroom.
The large, square island with a natural wood finish provides a dining area as well as a work surface.
A simple screen of stained 2x4s protects the loft but keeps it open to the social space below.
The loft space, built over the exterior storage room, provides an excellent space for playing and spying on the world below.
The tall shed roof, which was an extension of the old gable roof of the garage, provides both soaring ceilings to make the space feel larger and a south facing roof for future photovoltaic panels.
