Hollywood Dell ADU

This project was named an Merit winner in the 70th Annual Progressive Architecture Awards, and was featured in the March 2023 issue of ARCHITECT.

“I liked the fact that it was so small [but] felt so luxurious at the same time.” —Juror DK Osseo-Asare

A product of the pandemic work-from-home needs of a young entrepreneurial couple, the Hollywood Dell accessory dwelling unit is smartly configured to be adaptable to guest use or rental in the future. Designed by Toronto-based AAmp Studio, the 600-square-foot, wood-frame ADU fits snugly into a triangular site behind a 1920s Spanish-style home in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills. This specific context drove formal decisions, such as employing warm terra cotta siding that riffs on the original home’s roof tile in the same material. The structure’s curved corners and arched and circular windows likewise reflect tropes of Spanish vernacular. Two offices flank a full bathroom and a small kitchenette outfitted as a gym for the clients; Murphy beds in each office facilitate a transition to guest or rental use. A rooftop deck further maximizes the project’s small footprint. Accessed by an exterior stair, the space recaptures the outdoor area surrendered to a new backyard pavilion and takes advantage of the property’s sweeping views.

PROJECT CREDITS

Project: Hollywood Dell ADU, Los Angeles
Architect: AAmp Studio. Andrew Ashey, AIA: Principal; Anne-Marie Armstrong, AIA MRAIC: Principal
Structural Engineer: Craig Phillips Engineering & Design
Civil Engineer: Forma Engineering Inc.
General Contractor: Pobal Construction
Soils: SubSurface Designs Inc.
Renderings: Darcstudio
Size: 600 square feet