In this area of Los Angeles. two-car garages are mandated on each lot, by code. This garage was converted by Dry Design as a studio and possible living space in West L.A. It has a suspended plywood sleeping loft, and it maintains its wide opening doors to ensure that the building can be returned to its original use as a garage. Read the rationale on their site – its quite interesting (click on “Studio 3773”). In Vancouver we’re experimenting with something called “laneway housing” and this provides an interesting model. What I like about this place, which I believe was made by the architects for their own use, is that it’s unfussy and human. It’s too bad that architects don’t usually build for clients the way they tend to build for themselves – the results are less finishy and overdone. Dry Design has also done some beautiful landscaping projects worth looking through.
Via Remodelista.
That’s pretty cool — and definitely seems modest. Though speaking of modest, I wonder if that woman who was sleeping in the altogether upstairs knew her photo was being taken 🙂
@Erica I think she’s one of the architects!
Architects are their own best clients because they usually appreciate materials and simplicity more than the general public does! They also often don’t have the $$ for expensive finishes.
@RedPat Yes. It’s very instructive that there’s often an inverse relation between the budget and the quality of the aesthetics – often the more money that’s applied, the worse the result. Smaller budgets dictate simplicity, ingenuity, and local materials that make sense and fit with the vernacular architecture. Granite countertops in non-granite regions always kind of depress me.
Great story. I’m working on converting a store front church into a free standing loft in Los Angeles. Looking for some design ideas.