ARA-la Studio

We believe creativity, elegance, and beauty comes out of being resourceful, adaptable, sensitive, and attuned to context and to the human relationships, habits, moods, needs, and desires that shape our experiences. Good design comes out of being flexible and giving room to discovery and change.

We believe design doesn’t happen in the vacuum of a design studio, but that it should be a collaborative and fluid process, from initial concept through construction. In our experience, it is uniquely shaped by the clients, builders, consultants, site, climate, events, and connections that give personality and specificity to each project.

Led by principal Aejie Rhyu, we design spaces and things for people who use and live in them. We give equal, thoughtful, and realistic but imaginative consideration to all facets of design, big and small. Our projects have been featured in the LA Times, Architectural Digest’s Clever, CA Home and Design, Design Milk, and other publications.

ADU Description

The Invisible ADU approaches ADU design with a soft touch. It takes its inspiration from the homes and yards we see every day in our LA neighborhoods. Composed of ordinary elements from a site’s existing landscape—fences, garden walls, lush native vegetation—combined with the stucco and sloped roofs common in southern Californian bungalows, the ADU becomes a part of the yard and landscape rather than announcing itself in it.

The ADU provides opportunities for abundant natural light, air, and interior/exterior connection through the wraparound deck, private courtyards, floor to ceiling glass, skylights, and a faceted front façade syncopating between solid and glazed walls. The obliquely angled front glazed doors are intended to reflect light and obscure direct views in while reflecting the surrounding landscape.

A 1-bedroom 1-bath structure, multiple options are offered in the cladding materials and screen wall designs—of plaster, cement block, brick, wood, and concrete—that best integrate the ADU into each specific residential setting.

1-Story detached accessory dwelling unit with exterior deck. (628 sf)