The Contemporary Cottage is an 812-SF detached accessory dwelling unit designed as a feasible, livable, accessible, replicable, and resilient small home for multigenerational living while preserving independence and privacy.

The 1-bedroom + flex layout "base prototype" centers on a bright living space, with a secondary room adaptable as an office, guest room, or caregiver space. The design maintains a modest 15-foot height and 11.3% window-to-wall ratio to balance daylight, neighborhood compatibility, and energy performance. It is supported by a conditioned crawl space with 10-inch cast-in-place concrete foundation walls. The high-performance envelope surpasses Massachusetts amended energy code requirements.

With a familiar gable form and durable envelope suited to New England’s climate, it can be built affordably across Massachusetts while remaining adaptable — allowing owners to elevate the design, connect to the outdoors, and personalize the design to reflect their way of living.