Sabin ADU

A bridge between two generations,
independent yet connected

Year
Summer 2025

Architectural Design
McFadin Design/Build

Photographer
Robb Farrington

Engineer
Vista Structural Engineering

Situated on a unique through-lot in NE Portland, the clients teamed up with their aging parents to create a noteworthy ADU that brings family close, while maintaining a sense of separation.

While the building lot allowed for the ADU to have it’s own street presence, it is also home to mature landscaping and a massive save-at-all-costs oak tree. Working closely with an arborist, the building was designed to bridge between two distinct concrete footprints, thus saving excavation in the critical root zone of the oak tree.

A compact building footprint incorporates a bold off-center gabled roof profile with vaulted ceilings and large street facing windows. Custom casework graces every room of the ADU, beautifully concealing plenty of storage space while maintaining visual cohesion throughout. Age-in-place considerations were incorporated with extra blocking in walls and a no-threshold shower and entry door.

The finished project leaves no detail forgotten and is a stunning testament to a modern multi-generational living solution.

Sketch of a small house with a sloped roof, four windows, a door, and steps leading up to the entrance.
A 3D floor plan of a small apartment showing a bedroom, bathroom, and an open living room and kitchen area.
A new ADU porch with woven chairs, large potted cactus, and other potted plants. The house has a large window and a small decorative hanging beside the door.
Interior view of an ADU entryway showing a wooden front door with side window, a potted plant on stool, wall decor, and part of a bedroom.
Modern and compact ADU kitchen with wooden cabinets, white countertops, large corner window, small open shelf with plates and bowls, potted plant, electrical outlets, and built-in oven.
ADU Kitchen with wooden cabinets, white countertops, a window with a view of trees and houses, a potted plant on the windowsill, and a built-in oven.
Modern, compact ADU kitchen with large windows showing trees outside, wood cabinetry, white countertops, and minimal decor including plants and stacks of dishes.
A cozy interior corner in a modern ADU with large wooden window frames, a built-in wooden bench, white walls, a white floating shelf with a potted plant and stacked dishes.
Modern ADU kitchen with large windows, wooden trim, a white ceiling, and wooden flooring, with a large built-in storage bench under the window and a person bending over to open the bench seat compartment.
A cozy kitchen nook with large windows, a small marble-top table, a wooden chair, wooden cabinetry, open shelving with bowls and books, potted plants, and hardwood flooring.
Indoor windowsill with a potted plant, a wooden tray with seashells, a small decorative orange object on a white marble stand, and blurred foreground. Outside view of a rain-soaked window with trees.
A cozy ADU bedroom with a bed, beige quilt, and matching pillows. There are two windows letting in natural light, one tall and one long and narrow. A potted plant on a side table, a wall hanging with black and beige design, a light pendant, and a woo
View of a bathroom seen through an open doorway inside a modern ADU, with a wooden vanity, a mirror, a plant, and a towel rack visible.
A modern ADU bathroom vanity with a white marble countertop, wood slatted cabinet, copper faucet, a potted plant, a mirror, and a wall-mounted light fixture next to a window.
Modern ADU bathroom with a walk-in shower, plant in a decorative pot, and a white toilet.
Stacked white washer and dryer in a laundry room next to wooden cabinets in a modern ADU bathroom.
A large wooden cabinet with four doors, two smaller ones on top and two larger ones below, with white handles. It is part of a modern ADU bathroom, built to maximize storage space.
Open wooden closet wardrobe with hanging shirts, jackets, and shorts, along with shoes, sandals, and a blue backpack inside.
Aerial view of a backyard with a small wooden ADU, a picnic area, lawn, trees, and neighboring houses.
Aerial view of a small wooden ADU with a black metal roof, patio with two chairs, potted plants, and nearby trees and garden.
Hand-drawn diagram of an ADU construction plan with labels, including notes about mounting and joists, and sketches of floor sections and supports used in building.