Officially known as an “accessory dwelling unit,” or A.D.U., the Garden House by Waechter Architecture showcases a silhouette resembling an upward-pointing arrow. The 800-square-foot cottage is located in Portland, Oregon (specifically, it sits behind the house of 68-year-old interior designer Ann Wilson), and architect Ben Waechter has earned awards for its design, one that explores affordable housing, sculptural forms, and a lesson on how to erect smaller housing units while obeying zoning laws and maximizing useable space. The house’s eaves extend 10 feet on two sides of the house, and underneath these overhangs are patios, protected from sun and rain. The ground floor living room has floor-to-ceiling windows and is flanked between a half bath on the north side and a kitchen on the south. Upstairs in the “arrowhead” is the bedroom and a second bathroom.
