MODULAR HOUSING
for HISTORIC L.A.
This 2025 competition entry for the UCLA CityLab and City of Los Angeles Housing and Community Development "Small Lots, Big Impacts" competition proposes a new model for infill housing rooted in California's vernacular tradition. The Bungalow Flats draw inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement—a historical precedent born from the same conditions driving today's housing crisis: a desire for architecture that is beautiful, meaningful, and accessible to everyday people. Familiar two-story forms, generous porches, tactile materials, and warm, light-filled interiors reflect the creative spirit of Los Angeles while honoring the enduring appeal of the California Craftsman bungalow.
The proposal leverages modular construction to make this vision economically viable. Factory-built modules ship on standard flatbeds and assemble on-site with minimal disruption, enabling cost-effective infill development on underutilized small lots throughout the city. Non-combustible finishes and a streamlined construction process enhance safety and practicality without sacrificing character. The Bungalow Flats demonstrate that the competing demands of affordability, beauty, and community belonging need not be in tension—that good architecture, thoughtfully delivered, can help reimagine what Los Angeles neighborhoods can become.
Concept Design, 2025