To find the area of the pentagon $ABCDE$, we will use the given conditions:

1. $AB = AE = CD = 1$,
2. $\angle ABC = \angle DEA = 90^\circ$,
3. $BC + DE = 1$.

We start by placing the pentagon in the coordinate plane to simplify calculations:

- Let $A$ be at the origin $(0, 0)$.
- Since $AB = 1$ and $\angle ABC = 90^\circ$, place $B$ at $(1, 0)$.
- Since $AE = 1$ and $\angle DEA = 90^\circ$, place $E$ at $(0, 1)$.

Next, define points $C$ and $D$:

- Since $C$ is connected to $B$, and $CD = 1$, we need to position $C$ on the $y$-axis of the coordinate system because of the right angle at $B$. Thus, $C = (1, y_C)$.
- The condition $BC + DE = 1$ gives us:
$$BC = y_C \quad \text{and} \quad DE = 1 - y_C.$$

Since $\angle ABC = 90^\circ$, $C$ must lie on the line $x = 1$ above Point $B$, giving us $(1, y_C)$. Let $D$ be $(x_D, 1 - y_C)$.

Given that $\angle DEA = 90^\circ$, line $DE$ is vertical, making $x_D = 0$. Thus, $D = (0, 1-y_C)$.

Next, calculate the area of pentagon $ABCDE$:

The area of the pentagon can be found by summing the areas of two triangles $ABE$, $BCD$, and parallelogram $CDE$:

### Step 1: Triangle $ABE$
- The area is:
$$\text{Area of } \triangle ABE = \frac{1}{2} \times AB \times AE = \frac{1}{2} \times 1 \times 1 = \frac{1}{2}.$$

### Step 2: Triangle $BCD$
- As $BC = y_C$ and $CD = 1$, the area of $\triangle BCD$ is:
$$\text{Area of } \triangle BCD = \frac{1}{2} \times BC \times CD = \frac{1}{2} \times y_C \times 1 = \frac{y_C}{2}.$$

### Step 3: Triangle $CDE$
- Since $DE = 1-y_C$ and the height from $C$ to line $DE$ (through $x = 1$) is also $y_C$,
$$\text{Area of } \triangle CDE = \frac{1}{2} \times DE \times y_C = \frac{1}{2} \times (1-y_C) \times y_C = \frac{y_C(1-y_C)}{2}.$$

Finally, sum up the areas to find the total area of pentagon $ABCDE$:
$$\text{Total area} = \text{Area of } \triangle ABE + \text{Area of } \triangle BCD + \text{Area of } \triangle CDE = \frac{1}{2} + \frac{y_C}{2} + \frac{y_C(1-y_C)}{2}$$

This simplifies to:
$$\frac{1}{2} + \frac{y_C}{2} + \frac{y_C}{2} - \frac{y_C^2}{2} = \frac{1}{2} + y_C - \frac{y_C^2}{2}$$

Setting $y_C + (1-y_C) = 1$, the substitution works perfectly with $y_C = 0$ or $y_C = 1$ without altering terms.

Finally, the area is given by:
$$\boxed{1}$$
The positioning of $C$, $D$, and calculating parallelograms nuances lead to confirmation upon expressions.