Originally built as an accessory building and placed at the top of the hillside through-lot, this 1050sf building captures a wonderful mountain view and steps sensitively down the slope of the site. The original spaces included a studio, a recreation room with a deck, a bathroom, and a kitchenette; by adding a shower to the bathroom, and hot water and cooking facilities to the kitchenette, the building fulfills the definition of an ADU. Exposed board-formed concrete walls and polished poured concrete floors create a wonderful modern aesthetic and provide thermal mass. Interior merges with exterior using large glazed areas including a 14-foot sliding door, which recesses into a pocket essentially unifying the living space and deck into one space. Sustainable design is accomplished in part by radiant heating, low-e glass, and roof photovoltaic panels.

This accessory structure is a wonderful addition to the site which includes the main residence, an original 1958 ranch house that sits at the flat pad at the bottom. Plans for future development of the property include demolition of the original house using Deconstruction and reuse/donation of materials, and then the design of a new modern main residence. Much of the architectural vocabulary, and the expression of indoor and outdoor connection, established with the ADU will be continued throughout the project. The Owners plan to live in the ADU during the construction of the new main house.