Hopson Rodstrom Design has contributed a pre-designed catalogue home for the Case Study 2.0 initiative launched as a response to the devastating fires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. The plans can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of hiring an architect to custom design a home, and are designed to be thoughtful, modest, elegant, cost-effective, sustainable, and resilient. Additional pre-designed models are available upon request, including an adobe inspired model and a post & beam ranch version. More details can be found on the Case Study 2.0 website or by contacting Hopson Rodstrom Design at info@h-rd.co.

The goal of this proposal is to provide a simple, elegant, and modest, yet spacious and comfortable home that honors traditional single-family home ideals but presents them in a clean, contemporary way. The design and layout are in-fact based on the architect’s own experience living in a local single-family home built in 1925 that shares the same organizational principals and layout. By locating the main bedrooms at the front of the property and entering the house on the side, towards the middle, the rear yard is made directly accessible to the living, kitchen and dining spaces – enabling a connection to the outdoors and taking advantage of the indoor-outdoor livestyle that Southern California allows.

Below the steeply gabled roof is tucked a private second story primary suite and bonus room, rounding out a spacious, comfortable, nicely apportioned layout. A vaulted living room serves as the heart of the home, while the kitchen and dining spaces are separate but directly adjacent and flow into the rear yard. A 400 SF detached garage in the rear yard can be converted into an accessory dwelling unit complete with kitchenette, bathroom, and sleeping loft.

Every decision is guided by the priorities of fire and climate resilience, sustainability and a local, low-carbon footprint. Sloped metal roofing, no eaves, protected vents, no exposed wood, fire resistant siding, and smart landscaping that aids in creating a defensible space are some of the ways in which the priorities are visible in the design. On-site water storage (in the form of cistern or small pool), and roof mounted sprinklers are utilized to add additional protection.