House in the Wall︎︎︎
Type: Accessory Dwelling Unit
Location: Undisclosed
Size: 660 SF (860 SF total)
Year: 2026
Status: In-Progress
An ADU that withholds its presence in the backyard, revealing itself gradually through movement and use.
As accessory dwelling units become increasingly common, the project asks whether a second home could become part of the landscape rather than another object in the backyard. Instead of occupying the center of the lot, walls, gardens, and living spaces define its perimeter, preserving an open yard while creating a sequence of outdoor rooms and sheltered interiors.
A concealed entry unfolds through planted courtyards before opening into light-filled rooms oriented toward gardens rather than neighboring properties. The result is a model for backyard housing that feels embedded in the landscape rather than added to it.
Interior spaces expand upward to admit daylight while remaining oriented to surrounding garden rooms. Large openings look into planted setbacks rather than neighboring areas, producing a sequence of inward-looking spaces where privacy is shaped through walls, landscape, and carefully orchestrated views.
Materiality is restrained.
Smooth and roughcast stucco walls
establish a continuous perimeter that blurs distinctions between architecture
and landscape, while individual interior rooms introduce distinct material accents—including warm timber,
stainless steel, and translucent resin—that contrast with the continuity of the
exterior shell.
Team:
Daniel Garcia
William Smith
With:
Okdraw
© 2026
Daniel
William
Garcia
Smith
Daniel
William
Garcia
Smith