SKALWEST CONSTRUCTION
ADU Design Services San Marino
Custom ADU design & architectural plans
ADU Design Shaped Around Your San Marino Home and Garden Setting
A secondary residence can add meaningful new living space while preserving the architectural character, mature landscape and privacy already established on the property. We develop the ADU as a carefully integrated part of the overall residential composition.
Architecture With Restraint
Scale, roof form, exterior materials and opening proportions can give the ADU architectural quality without allowing it to compete visually with the primary residence.
Garden & Landscape Relationships
Existing trees, planting, patios and garden spaces can help guide building placement so the new residence feels embedded within the property rather than simply positioned behind the home.
Privacy for Both Residences
Entrances, windows and primary living spaces can be oriented to create comfortable separation while preserving natural light and meaningful visual connections to landscape.
Developing a Secondary Residence From Property Study to Architectural Detail
The design package brings together site relationships, interior planning, exterior character and three-dimensional studies so the ADU can be evaluated as part of the complete home and landscape.
Property Planning & Residence Placement
Site drawings establish the proposed ADU in relation to the primary residence, garden areas, circulation, outdoor living spaces and other existing property relationships.
Floor Plans & Refined Living
Interior plans develop room proportions, circulation, storage, furniture relationships and openings so the ADU feels like a complete residence rather than an abbreviated version of one.
Exterior Elevations & Architectural Language
Elevations refine massing, roof form, materials and glazing to establish an intentional architectural relationship between the new residence and the existing home.
Sections & Spatial Proportion
Building sections clarify ceiling heights, roof geometry and vertical relationships that help define the scale and interior character of the ADU.
3D Modeling & Property Visualization
Three-dimensional studies help evaluate exterior form, material relationships, openings and the visual balance between the ADU, primary residence and surrounding landscape.
Architectural Plan Coordination
The architectural package can be coordinated with consultant information and supporting project documentation as the design advances toward later project phases.
From Existing Home and Garden to a Carefully Composed Second Residence
The design begins with the character of the existing property and the intended role of the new residence, then develops placement, privacy, interior living and architecture around those relationships.
Home & Landscape Review
We study the primary residence, garden areas, outdoor spaces, privacy, access and intended use to understand what should remain visually and spatially dominant.
Placement & Garden Strategy
Building position, entry sequence, outdoor relationships and landscape are explored together so the ADU becomes part of the larger property composition.
Architectural Refinement
Floor plans, roof form, exterior proportions, glazing and materials are refined together to create a residence that feels complete but appropriately secondary.
Coordinated ADU Plans
The selected direction advances into architectural drawings that clearly communicate the residence for the next stage of the project.
Without Adding Competition
A San Marino ADU can have substantial architectural character without competing with the primary residence. The strongest design uses proportion, landscape, materials and privacy to create a new home that feels quietly established within the property.
Architectural Character That Respects an Established Home
The ADU can closely complement the primary residence or reinterpret its architectural language with simpler detailing. In either direction, scale, proportion and material quality remain central to creating a cohesive property.
Traditional
Balanced elevations, familiar roof forms and carefully scaled detailing can create a secondary residence with a composed and established architectural presence.
Spanish & Mediterranean
Stucco surfaces, tile roofing, shaded openings and restrained detailing can create a warm architectural relationship with Mediterranean-inspired primary residences.
Transitional
Traditional proportions can be paired with cleaner detailing and updated materials to create a residence that feels timeless without becoming overly formal.
California Contemporary
Natural materials, restrained forms and strong garden relationships can create contemporary architecture that remains warm and appropriate within an established property.
Mid-Century Modern
Horizontal proportions, warm finishes and broad relationships to landscape can create a relaxed California modern residence.
Modern
Clean geometry, controlled glazing and restrained materials can create a contemporary ADU with architectural clarity and a quiet visual presence.
The architectural direction can respond to the existing San Marino residence, mature garden and the balance of privacy, architectural hierarchy and design continuity you want the ADU to create.
Adding a Second Residence Without Disturbing the Character of the Property
The strongest ADU design can add substantial new living flexibility while preserving the home, garden and sense of privacy that already define the property. The spaces around the new residence are considered as carefully as the rooms inside it.
Mature Gardens as Architecture
Existing trees, hedges and planting can frame the ADU, create separation between residences and allow the landscape to remain an active part of the property's spatial organization.
Guest & Family Independence
A complete secondary residence can provide privacy for family or guests while remaining naturally connected to the primary home through landscape, circulation and shared property relationships.
A Secondary Architectural Presence
Massing, roof form and exterior proportions can give the ADU its own identity while maintaining a clear hierarchy that keeps the primary residence visually established.
Preserve Its Identity
A thoughtfully designed San Marino ADU can introduce an entirely new living environment without changing what makes the original property distinctive. Architecture, landscape, privacy and scale can allow the addition to feel as though it belongs there.
Request a Property Review & Preliminary ADU Design Direction
Submit the form below to share your San Marino property and project goals. We’ll consider the existing residence, landscape, privacy, architectural character and potential ADU design opportunities before getting in touch to discuss an initial architectural direction.
