ADU
Can design help solve a complex economic problem?
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a smaller, independent dwelling unit located on the same lot as the main residence. Although ADUs have long existed, they have recently garnered more attention as a potential solution to the affordable housing crisis — one that leverages existing city infrastructure, limits urban sprawl, and enhances resiliency in urban environments.
The design minimizes the units’ environmental impact through principles of energy efficiency and metabolic architecture, making the ADU type — which typically carries a large carbon footprint — a more sustainable housing solution. The prototype is the first ADU to receive an Energy Star rating. Roof-top solar panels generate energy to power the unit, strategically located windows maximize cross-ventilation, and the exterior walls support plantings. Sliding glass panels allow residents to open the house directly to a deck or garden, creating indoor-outdoor living environments that promote regenerative health.
Location
Various, United States
Research Areas Parametric Design
Typology Housing
Size
Small
400 sq.ft.
Status Complete
Project Team Carlos ArnaizXiao TanQueenie XuYihang Yan
We consider each project on its own terms and develop tailored responses. Learn about our vision and mission.
Studio
The nimble 400-square-foot studio uses a modular approach to create a compact kitchen and a flexible combined lounge, workspace, and sleeping area. A surface that slides out of the built-in dresser can serve as both a desk or dining table. When the Murphy bed is folded into the wall, its cross support becomes a work surface.
Our approach is strategically driven and informed. Click here to learn about our process.
One Bedroom
This option includes an expanded kitchen, dining, and living area as well as a full bedroom. As in the studio option, the living area is lit by both clerestory windows and sliding wall panels that open to a garden. A built-in desk beside the bed offers a dedicated workspace.
Working closely with the biggest prefabrication company in the northern United States, CAZA developed a customizable design scheme using parametric design and existing production capabilities, supply chains, and customer-service infrastructure. These distributive networks make it possible for a customized home to be ordered online, delivered, and installed on-site within weeks.
The two prototypes — a studio unit and a one-bedroom unit — can serve as a self-use office, an intergenerational home, or a rental investment. Designed with eco-industrialization in mind, these ADUs illustrate how thoughtful design can help solve complex economic and environmental challenges.
