THE HOUSING

This project reinterprets traditional cottage living within a modern townhome context by combining adjacency, orientation, and shared open spaces. Designed for ten units on two typical single-family residential sites, the scheme balances built and open space equally while minimizing redundancy. The design clusters units into four unique constellations, each with distinct unit combinations but unified by consistent thresholds and circulation patterns.

Unit Diagram
Roof Plan
Circulation Diagram
Massing Model
Figure Ground Diagrams
Second Floor Plan

The spatial strategy emphasizes carving into both the building mass and ground to form patios, paths, and communal spaces, creating a network of circulation veins that converge in a central artery. Despite its complex form, the isometric view reveals a structured simplicity, drawing on cottage-like principles with no more than six surfaces defining exterior experiences.

Facades are designed to conceal repetition, with stretched apertures and cohesive exterior treatments enhancing visual unity. The result is a community-oriented housing model that blends individual privacy with shared outdoor experiences while adapting to modern constraints.

UCLA 2023

Professor: Heather Roberge & Mohammad Sharif

Contributors: Hanna Wittmack