“Shake house is named for its cladding, cedar shakes, which embody this project’s message: build to change and improve with time. Working within the tight zoning restrictions of New York’s recent City of Yes Zoning Resolution, Shake House leverages certain rules which allow it to one day exceed the current livable square footage limit of 800 square feet.
Two structures (the new ADU and the existing garage mass) are unified by a monolithic roof which contains two distinct loft spaces. By engaging with the existing garage and offsetting the new structure, a covered outdoor space emerges which one day may be enclosed as additional livable square footage as the city’s need for housing is further perpetuated.
Shake house investigates how through siting, materiality, and expansion-oriented design, we can push the boundaries of what an ADU can be and embrace these structures as permanent fixtures in the urban fabric of New York.”
