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For one couple seeking more living space in Los Angeles, the question was whether to build an addition onto their bungalow or convert their two-car garage into an ADU. The answer was obvious to architect Ben Warwas of Byben: An ADU would allow them to save money (thanks to its predetermined footprint and reusable foundation), demolish the driveway they didn’t use, and maximize their outdoor area for lounging and hosting. The clients were easily convinced.
Ben delivered on these practical promises while drawing on his background in skateboarding and fashion to push the boundaries of ADU design. The futuristic-looking structure he devised is simultaneously rectilinear and curvy, with a flat top and vertical ipe wood slats that juxtapose arched windows and rounded corners. And its offset top level—Ben’s clever method for avoiding power lines—results in a quirky zig-zag silhouette. “I phrased it to the clients as a sculpture, sort of like a folly, just a fun shape in the backyard,” he says. “I am obsessed with this yin and yang symmetry, where it’s flipped like a checkerboard.”
The unusual form also creates an intimate rooftop terrace, where the couple and their children can enjoy treetop views, and an overhang that shades the entrance. “We wanted to have a covered moment right before you walk in,” Ben explains. “The cantilever really plays into that transitionary space because there’s no foyer or front porch or anything because it’s a small structure.”
A triple sliding glass door leads to a carbon gray Clé brick tile platform, completing Ben’s progression from outside to in. Just a half-step down, he installed white oak flooring for a homey vibe in the open living-dining-kitchen area. The same warm wood composes the cabinetry, which is paired with a beige terracotta tile backsplash (also from Clé) and a denim blue Formica floating cupboard for a pop of color.
Thanks to Fisher & Paykel appliances—like a panel-ready refrigerator and a compact oven—as well as a sunset orange powder room with a bold terrazzo countertop and circular vessel sink, the couple “is able to fully entertain within the ADU,” according to Ben. “They can have a party and people don’t have to go into their house.”
The architect crafted another key transitional element with the Seattle Public Library–inspired yellow staircase and its fir plank screen that balances privacy and sight lines. “It’s thinking about circulation as a space of experience and not just travel,” he explains. “I wanted to just make it fun and interesting and enticing. And the skylight really activates the Butter—that’s the Benjamin Moore color.”
The sunshine-filled office on the upper level (which the couple fights over occupying) doubles as a guest room for family and friends who stay overnight. A Murphy bed pulls out of the wall and the Warren Platner for Knoll leather-top desk can be pushed aside. The full bathroom, featuring Sequoia green ceramic rectangles from Zia Tile, is inviting for the homeowners and their visitors alike.
Ben’s personal favorite detail, though, is the U-shaped window that extends beyond the ceiling line for a sense of limitlessness. “It creates this level of mystery,” he says. “You can’t really tell where the window ends until you walk over to it and then there’s a mirror at the top. So it’s a playful moment where you’re like, ‘What’s up there?’ And then you see yourself.” It’s a peculiar delight, much like the rest of the ADU.
