YDS Architects

10/07/2026

Dolores Drive, Altadena — drag to look around. Nine 360° views rendered straight from our Revit model and set into the real street: the front yard, living room, kitchen, primary suite and balcony, the motor court, the garden path and the old coast live oak at the back of the lot.

09/29/2026

09/24/2026

Our new site is live, come check it out at ydsarch.com 😍

09/22/2026

Project Feature • Altadena Rebuild

Three oaks split this Altadena lot into three parcels before we touched the plan, so the design works around their canopies, not through them. Two residences and an ADU, parking tucked between root zones, rooflines cut sharp against terra-cotta and stucco. Slower than a clean lot would’ve been. Worth it.

YDS Architects

08/27/2026

Residence M — Altadena Rebuild

Clear volumes, California landscape, and a material palette that feels distinctly YDS: teal Hardie panel, warm terra-cotta stucco, and charcoal accents.

A new page for our Altadena rebuild work. Too bad we didn’t get the chance to feature this one in the rebuild competition.

08/25/2026

We’re honored to be nominated by Volume Zero Architecture Competitions for the . Thank you for the recognition.

This project explores a leap toward autonomous architecture for extreme environments—combining modular design with aerial robotics to address the “sunlight and access” paradox of canyon-floor living.

Rather than forcing architecture onto a difficult site, the concept asks how architecture itself can become adaptive, deployable, and responsive to its environment.

We’ll be sharing more of the design process, diagrams, and ideas behind the project in the coming weeks.

08/09/2026

By separating the building into layers, it shows how the massing, floor layout, circulation, and roof work together before the project is built. It offers a closer look at the planning behind the final design.

More to come at YDSArch.com.

08/07/2026

Material selection plays an important role in defining the character of a project. Vertical wood siding, white and grey stucco, perforated brick, and a restrained natural color palette work together to create a cohesive exterior while reinforcing the building's massing and proportions.

A palette developed to support the architecture, not compete with it.

08/04/2026

For this project, the challenge was to maximize the buildable footprint within SB 684 and Culver City guidelines while maintaining efficient access across the site.

The design uses a combination of building forms, massing, and material transitions to shape the development while responding to the site's constraints. This approach accommodates four residential units, each with its own ADU and private garage, maximizing both housing capacity and the property's development potential.

More to come at ydsarch.com.

08/02/2026

This proposal increases the property's development potential by transforming one residential unit into four residences, with each home paired with its own ADU and private garage.

Through a careful combination of materials, complex forms, and strategic planning, the design maximizes the site's potential while creating a cohesive residential development.

Swipe through to discover the ideas behind the design.