{"id":6503,"date":"2026-04-04T17:00:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T17:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/angesfinanciers.org\/?p=6503"},"modified":"2026-04-10T15:31:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T15:31:01","slug":"byben-completes-los-angeles-house-with-sculptural-offset-adu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/angesfinanciers.org\/index.php\/2026\/04\/04\/byben-completes-los-angeles-house-with-sculptural-offset-adu\/","title":{"rendered":"Byben completes Los Angeles house with sculptural Offset ADU"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Ipe-clad<\/div>\n

Local studio Byben has created an accessory dwelling unit<\/a> in southern California<\/a> called Offset ADU, which features ipe-wood cladding and curved elements that “soften the feel and look” of the building.<\/span><\/p>\n

The project is located in the rear yard of a family home in Los Angeles’<\/a> Mar Vista neighbourhood. It was designed for a couple with two young kids who sought more living space, as well as a space for entertaining guests.<\/p>\n

\"Ipe-clad
Byben has created an ipe-wood-clad ADU in Los Angeles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The accessory dwelling unit (ADU) replaces a one-car garage that had been doing double duty as a home office and a place for storing a car and bikes.<\/p>\n

The clients debated between replacing the garage with a standalone ADU or an extension to their house.<\/p>\n

\"Ipe-clad
It was built on the foundation of a former garage in the client’s backyard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“I convinced them that the ADU was the best route because the size can be defined, which helps controlling the budget, whereas doing an addition on a house can get out of hand quickly,” Byben<\/a> founder Ben Warwas told Dezeen.<\/p>\n

To make way for the ADU, the garage was partly razed, with the foundation and two walls kept in place.<\/p>\n

\"Kitchen
Setbacks and openings orient the space to expanded backyard, adding a social dimension to the house<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Utilising these existing elements, Byben created a two-storey, 890-square-foot (83-square-metre) dwelling with design elements that cleverly respond to site constraints.<\/p>\n

In plan, the building is roughly rectangular, with large portions carved away to form setbacks and openings. The upper level cantilevers<\/a> over a recessed entryway at ground level.<\/p>\n

A large portion of the upper level was cut away due to power lines, and in its place, the architect created a terrace<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Yellow
The curves of the exterior are mirrored inside<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The second level is offset to accommodate the present zoning envelope and the power lines in the rear of the property,” said the studio.<\/p>\n

“This offset provided a roof deck on the second level, more space for some existing trees and bike storage, and a covered front entrance to the ADU.”<\/p>\n

\"Yellow
A slender stairwell was painted yellow and features a skylight<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The two facades visible from the home are wrapped in an ipe-wood rainscreen, which was selected for performance and aesthetic reasons. The remaining two facades have stucco cladding with ipe accents.<\/p>\n

Certain edges of the wood siding are curved rather than straight \u2013 a technique to help “soften the feel and look of the ADU”, said Warwas. Curved elements are also found inside.<\/p>\n

\"Office
An oblong window in the office space is a stand-out feature<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Within the dwelling, a large room on the ground level holds a kitchen, dining space and lounge area, as well as a small bathroom and laundry room.<\/p>\n

The ground space opens onto a deck, providing an opportunity for indoor-outdoor living.<\/p>\n

\"Patio
A rooftop deck was placed in a cutaway that accounted for power lines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Upstairs, one finds an office that doubles as a bedroom.<\/p>\n

A notable feature in the upper area is a tall, U-shaped window that extends into a cove above the ceiling line. A mirror in the cove provides “an infinite-height feeling”.<\/p>\n

The two levels are connected by a slender, skylit stairwell<\/a> that is painted bright yellow and lined with white oak slats.<\/p>\n