NEWMAN NATTIV ADU 

THIS EXISTING STUDIO CITY ADU, TUCKED AWAY ON A SECLUDED, TREE-LINED STREET, WAS A MODEST AND UNREMARKABLE BUILDING WITH LITTLE ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER OR CONNECTION TO ITS BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS.

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OUR CLIENTS, AN ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKING COUPLE, SAW THE POTENTIAL TO COMPLETELY REINVENT THE EXISTING STRUCTURE—TRANSFORMING THE ADU ITSELF INTO A MORE DISTINCTIVE, INVITING, AND PLAYFUL SMALL HOUSE, WHILE ADDING A NEW SECOND FLOOR ABOVE IT TO CREATE A PRIVATE STUDIO FOR WRITING AND FILM PRODUCTION.

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WE REIMAGINED THE FAÇADES AND CAREFULLY INTEGRATED THE NEW UPPER LEVEL, USING LARGE, THOUGHTFULLY PLACED WINDOWS TO FRAME THE MATURE TREES SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY AND CAPTURE VIEWS INTO THE DISTANCE. AN EXTERIOR STAIR CONNECTS THE BACK GARDEN DIRECTLY TO THE UPPER FLOOR, ARRIVING AT A BALCONY OVERLOOKING THE YARD AND CREATING A NATURAL TRANSITION BETWEEN THE LANDSCAPE AND THE NEW STUDIO.

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THE RESULT IS A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION: A CHARMING AND CHARACTERFUL SMALL HOUSE WITH A CALM, LIGHT-FILLED CREATIVE STUDIO AND OFFICE ABOVE. WHAT WAS ONCE AN OVERLOOKED BACKYARD BUILDING HAS BECOME A DISTINCTIVE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND CREATE—AND A PROJECT WE ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF.