Using industrial materials in an inventive, DIY method, Michigan architecture practice T+E+A+M sought to make efficient living a priority with the group’s newest housing project: a modest accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that will serve as a backyard rental in the city of Ann Arbor.

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit marks one of the first ADUs to be built under Ann Arbor’s new zoning regulations that were approved this June. The 730-square-foot structure was completed in late summer 2021 by Thom Moran, Ellie Abrons, Adam Fure, and Meredith Miller, a group of architects and architectural designers who also work as assistant professors at University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning—and whose combined first initials form the T+E+A+M moniker.

The backyard residence is sited behind the home of architectural designer Adam Fure and his partner, architect Ellie Abrons, who also serves on the Planning Commission for the City of Ann Arbor. Dubbed Northwood ADU, the compact dwelling features a structured chrome aesthetic that blurs the lines between conventional and futuristic.

In contrast to the existing front house, the rear ADU features a sloping metal roof and industrial exterior cladding. Stainless-steel mesh sits in front of structural insulated panels (SIPs) fixed within the wall panels.

“There are really two main things that we were looking to do with the project,” says Fure. “One was to build an ADU that would demonstrate to the Ann Arbor community the advantages to this kind of construction we’re building in our city. The other ambition was to test some methods that would help make building efficient and affordable. We wanted to do a project where we could try out different materials and systems that we could use elsewhere.”

Because Ann Arbor faces affordable housing shortages, T+E+A+M sought to be economically resolute with Northwood ADU, which will serve as a rental unit behind the main residence. The firm used prefabricated systems to speed up the construction process and avoid unnecessary on-site costs. Fiber cement board rainscreen cladding provides a more sustainable and low-cost option for the exterior. For the interior, T+E+A+M referenced projects that use exposed wood panels. The lofted sleeping space and staircase, for example, were built with construction-grade lumber.

“I think there’s a potential to build things for a little bit cheaper and shave off some costs—if that’s an aesthetic that people start to value or think is cool-looking,” says Fure. “Construction costs are through the roof, and there are many factors for that, but we’re trying to make building more affordable for more people.”

In addition to its highly insulated shell, Northwood ADU has a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF), which is a practical alternative to deeper, more costly foundations that is popular in Scandinavia and Sweden. With prefabricated foam panels, the one-bedroom unit is conditioned to stay heatproof in the summer and heated in the winter. Radiant floor heating also moves hot water through pipes in the ADU’s concrete floor.

The Michigan practice also plans to install solar panels to make Northwood ADU energy independent. “No gas in any house seems very achievable and like something we can shoot for,” says Fure. “The combination of solar, more efficient buildings and all electric, that seems like a shift that should be more widespread.”

For T+E+A+M, the hope is that Northwood ADU becomes part of an already growing movement to make homeownership more affordable, with an emphasis on low construction costs. The firm is interested in how the rise of tiny homes and ADUs in crowded cities across the country can help address redlining in areas segregated for racial and socioeconomic reasons.

“There’s this practice of creating full-scale mockups—more for large buildings—to work through detailing, weatherproofing, and different layers of construction,” says Fure. “The ADU is kind of like that for us. When you’re designing and building something, you’re also working through details that become a portfolio of things you can use in the future.”

Related Reading:

Why Now, More Than Ever, the ADU Is the Future of Home

ADU Floor Plans That Make the Most of the Backyard

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: T+E+A+M / @tpluseplusaplusm

Builder/General Contractor: Maker Design Build / @makerdesignbuild

Structural Engineer: David Arnsdorf

Photography: Chris Miele / @adventureguyphoto

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A Modest ADU in Michigan Prioritizes Energy Efficiency and Affordability