The Gemstone Residences is a two-unit housing development on a small site in Los Angeles, California. The project transforms a lot with a single-family home into a lot with three units, making room for a multi-generational family to live comfortably on a dense urban site. The form of the housing development is “chiseled” away, like the facets on a gemstone, to adapt to the tight site conditions and the trapezoidal shaped backyard. The faceted form follows the same angle as the single-family home, which efficiently maximizes the space for each unit.

With limited space, each unit prioritizes efficient floor plan layouts. Large french doors create a strong indoor / outdoor connection, and allow each unit to feel larger than its square footage allows.