This new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) takes inspiration from the dilapidated farm structures that dot the landscape of the Sonoma wine country –legally preserved from outright demolition and thus in a state of constant decay. These relics have their own strange elegance though; their original steeply sloped roofs now drooping into low slung structures, peeling apart allowing in unexpected puddles of natural light, and revealing fragments of their interior framing to the outside elements.

Enamored by the atmospheric lace lichen shadows cast around this site’s mature oaks, we set out to evoke the essence of those spaces with aluminum and rivets. With help from our enthusiastic contractor, we used a series of metal fins strategically fixed with pop-rivets to create an undulating pattern. The proof of concept, however –even more than the form and beauty of the trellis itself– was in the delicacy of the shadows they cast.