Martin Fenlon Architecture

Rodgers ADU

Rodgers ADU

Rodgers ADU

Martin Fenlon Architecture

SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft

PHOTOS
John Linden (9), Martin Fenlon Architecture (2)

BUDGET
$100K - 500K

YEAR
2018

LOCATION
Los Angeles, CA, United States

CATEGORY
Residential › Private House

The Rodgers ADU, located in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, is a low-cost, sustainable example of an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), which is a relatively new typology in California.

Rodgers ADU
Rodgers ADU

An ADU is a legal second dwelling, complete with its own separate address, on a lot zoned for only one house. In 2017, a new state law went into effect in response to a statewide housing shortage which encourages homeowners to build these.

In Los Angeles, the construction of new affordable housing units has been outpaced by population growth. Affordable ADUs offer some relief to this ongoing housing crisis.

Rodgers ADU
Rodgers ADU

At the back of the site, a freestanding studio-type dwelling has been added to the top of an existing garage.

The structure orients away from the main house and its yard, maintaining mutual privacy. The roof of the ADU slopes down from west to east, directing the rainwater to a rain tank in the back for reuse.

Rodgers ADU
Rodgers ADU

Clad in economical fiber-cement siding, the ADU reaches down to the ground, while the stucco cladding of the garage reaches up, forming a semi-enclosed entry sequence.

Inside, there is an efficient studio layout. The ceiling, which is punctuated by a centrally placed skylight, follows the roof slope and gently slopes up to the west.

Rodgers ADU
Rodgers ADU

Windows facing the south and west bring in an abundance of natural light. The windows, together with the operable skylight, act as a solar chimney to passively cool the space.


Rodgers ADU
Rodgers ADU


Rodgers ADU
Rodgers ADU

Martin Fenlon Architecture
T +1 323 7399440
Martin Fenlon Architecture
5526 Monterey Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90042, United States