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Image courtesy Michael Matthews Studio
The need for the burgeoning ADU market in the Southern California market is commanding a closer look. As such, here’s an interesting project from Michael Matthews Studio, which was just named a Citation Award winner at the AIA Los Angeles Design Awards in December.
Working for a relocated client on a sloping 0.6-acre parcel in the San Diego area, Matthews’ Barrel Cactus ADU is a 1-bed/1-bath 1,050-square-foot design attached to a one-story midcentury modern home. As the name suggests, barrel-vaulted ceilings and a reference to endemic Saguaro Cactus plants are its defining characteristics.
A “contemporary response” then forms via a rheumatic response between the glass-fiber reinforced roofline and bioretentive cactus planters, allowing for a high thermal mass.
The introduction of clerestory windows and the possibility of deep overhangs provide the space with further increases in natural light and a reduction in solar gain. The design also features on-site stormwater retention.
