For one couple seeking more living space in Los Angeles, the question was whether or not to build an addition onto their bungalow or convert their two-car garage into an ADU. The answer was obvious to architect Ben Warwas of ByBen: An ADU would allow them to save money (thanks to its predetermined footprint and reusable foundation), demolish the driveway they didn’t use, and maximize their outdoor area for lounging and hosting. The clients were easily convinced.
Ben delivered on these practical promises while drawing on his background in skateboarding and fashion to push the boundaries of ADU design. The futuristic-looking structure he devised is simultaneously rectilinear and curvy, with a flat top and vertical ipe wood slats that juxtapose arched windows and rounded corners. And its offset top level—Ben’s clever method for avoiding power lines—results in a quirky zig-zag silhouette. “I phrased it to the clients as a sculpture, sort of like a folly, just a fun shape in the backyard,” he says. “I am obsessed with this yin and yang symmetry, where it’s flipped like a checkerboard.”