Homes, Restaurants, and Other Architectural Surprises Found in Alleys

A wide cut across the top of the structure made room for a second-floor courtyard where the family can catch some sun but maintain their privacy. On the ground level, the front door is tucked into an ivy-covered alcove lined with ipe, a material used throughout the house. Photo by: Juliana Sohn

The Zizmors installed a 16-foot-wide deck for playing and grilling, and lined it with hostas, Hollywood juniper, and bamboo.

Farnham walks the couple’s Vizsla, Kasia, down the sloped alley upon which the house sits. Hill’s renovation maintains some Victorian character in the decorative eaves and scaling, but the home is largely an anomaly for San Francisco.

The five-foot wide Keret House was built in an alley in Warsaw, Poland. Working within such tight boundaries, architect Jakub Szczesny was forced to get creative with the design. The bedroom is accessed by ladder and the fridge has just enough room to fit two drinks. While the design might be too sparse for a full-time home, Szczensny’s intent was to create a temporary home for a rotating roster of artist tenants and to push the boundaries of small space living. Photo by Bartek Warzecha.

From the street, a narrow passageway leads to the tea house's modern glass entrance.