This project reimagines one of Los Angeles’ most iconic yet often stigmatized apartment typologies—the Dingbat. Situated above an existing car parking space, two one-bedroom apartments are nestled into a parcel shared with an existing multifamily building and two lush trees. These trees are the heart and soul of the site, their shade offering respite and a sense of place within an otherwise typical Santa Monica sodded rear yard. The preservation of these trees became the guiding force of the design.

The building itself is a playful homage to the traditional Dingbat. A pink stucco box, rising above a masonry volume, reinterprets the conventional with a fresh approach to materiality. The façade, carved by the volume of a rotated staircase, avoids the trees while creating synergy between the new structure and the existing landscape.

In keeping with the Dingbat’s ethos of shared community in a car-centric city, the staircase becomes the thread that intertwines the lives of both residents. The project explores the delicate balance of living together—entangled yet intimate—while respecting the individuality of each apartment. It is, in its essence, a contemporary tribute to the Dingbat: a living testament to community, craftsmanship, and the beauty of Santa Monica’s urban landscape.