Founded in 2021 in San Francisco, prefab builder Spacial Homes wants to do more than simply provide shelters. "Our purpose is to cultivate wellness," says Cory Halbardier, the company’s executive officer. Zooming in on his vision, property owners can make an extra buck by installing one of the company’s accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in their backyard as a rental unit, which would also alleviate the Bay Area’s housing shortage.

The airy living room of Spacial’s one-bedroom ADU features clerestories and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The company partnered with Brooklyn-based design studio Caza to create two models: a 400-square-foot studio that starts at $139,000, and a 500-square foot one-bedroom unit at $157,000. Homeowners can use them how they see fit, whether that’s as a guesthouse, rental property, or expanded living space for friends and family.

The units come in a range of colors and include ample storage, tall ceilings, and spacious bathrooms, to name a few of the features. "Most people who step into a Spacial ADU are amazed at how spacious it feels inside, even with a small footprint," says Halbardier.

Timber combines with white finishes for a clean, modern look.

Adding to the sense of spaciousness are eight-foot-tall sliding glass doors in the bedroom and living room, along with large windows on the back of the units. "This lets in a ton of light and creates an amazing cross flow of air, connecting residents to the outside," says Halbardier. "When they want respite, they can close it, and the insulation keeps out the elements and noise, so they can turn in and focus."

The minimal studio maximizes space thanks to a wall of built-in shelving that frames the bed and office nook.

Spacial designed the ADUs to have as low a carbon footprint as possible. The units include energy-efficient appliances, high-efficiency HVAC systems, and photovoltaic arrays on the roof that harness solar energy. The units are built sustainably and with minimal waste using cross-laminated timber. In addition, the designs meet the requirements for LEED Platinum and Passive House certifications, and the California Green Building Standards Code.

The units are built sustainably using cross-laminated timber and meet the requirements for LEED Platinum and Passive House certifications, and the California Green Building Standards Code.

Interested buyers will work one-on-one with a "spacialist"—an in-house project manager—to design and build their dream ADU. With a team, the spacialist oversees everything from site surveys and permitting to off-site construction, which minimizes build time in the backyard. They also prep the site and arrange for utilities, water, sewer, and electrical services to the ADU ahead of installation by crane. Spacial says the project timeline is quick—a prefab can be installed in as short a time as seven months.

Spacial’s ADUs are both eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing meant to elevate the everyday life of their inhabitants.

Since its launch, Halbardier and his team say they’ve seen a fifty-fifty split in terms of how buyers are using the ADUs, with roughly half putting them up for rent, and the other half reserving them for extended family, be it elderly parents or boomerang kids. "We create family wellness by helping homeowners move mom and dad closer, or helping adult children get onto their feet," says Halbardier.

Currently, Spacial homes are available across the Bay Area, though Halbardier has big plans to expand in California and eventually to other states. "Spacial’s ADU isn’t just a small house, it’s a home," he says.

Learn more about adding a Spacial Homes ADU to your backyard.

The studio model’s simple floor plan is brightened with clean colors and panes of glass.

Despite the small footprint, the units feel larger than 400 or 500 square feet, with ample storage and spacious bathrooms.

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Architect of Record: Caza / @cazarch

From cozy cottages to large family houses, see how prefab continues to redefine the future of construction, building, and design.

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