Jungle Casita | Bernal Heights, San Francisco

The Jungle Casita began as a backyard experiment — a place for Kevin to test architectural ideas by building them himself. Its tiny frame pushes the limits of small-scale sustainability, layering a green roof, continuous insulation, and meticulous air-sealing into a hands-on study of what thoughtful, compact building can achieve.

Interiors finished with leftover materials from the main house give it a patchwork quality that reflects both resourcefulness and curiosity. Nestled in the mature garden, the casita now feels inseparable from the landscape. Day to day it serves as Kevin’s design workshop, showing how even the most modest projects can hold ambitious ideas.

Photography: Kevin Short