Our project positions the Auxiliary Dwelling Unit (ADU) as a housing type which should assert its physicality and presence at the street level. Typically positioned behind single-family homes and often hidden from view, ADUs in Houston are a more affordable housing type, and one which can aid in the densification of already-built neighborhoods throughout the city.

The form of each ADU is specific to its site, as its linear dimensions and the rotation angle of the diagonal wall are derived from the lot length and shape, as well as the location of the primary dwelling and available backyard space.
We approach the issue of visibility by positioning the ADU's entrance at the end of the driveway where it will be highly visible to those passing by. As the driveway and cars become obsolete, this allows the driveway to transition to an additional type of outdoor living space.

The facade, a tesselated form derived from the Japanese Miura-Ori folding pattern, is used to call attention to the ADU and provide a mechanism for self-shading of the facade. The forty-five degree angle tilt and smaller surface area of the sky-facing tiles reduce the amount of solar radation able to penetrate the wall assembly.

The wall assembly consisting of the Stretch Studs and custom-cut bridging is designed to achieve maximum insulating values while reducing the amount of thermal bridging. Like the Miura-Ori facade, the stretch studs come in three sizes so they can be recombined to achieve the desired wall length.

Project Partners: Sarah Lumelsky and Steve Hu

Prototype for an Auxiliary Dwelling Unit (ADU) which can be adapted to over 10,000 sites across four Houston neighborhoods. The units each contain a living space, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, and are equipped with a solar array on the flat roof and battery storage.