AIAPF REBUILD DESIGN AWARDS NOMINEES

ANDERSON RESIDENCE

1530 GAYWOOD DRIVE

PROJECT DETAILS:  Single Family Home | 1 Story 4 Bedroom, 2 Bath 2,120 SQ FT

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: Custom Volumetric Modular

LOCATION:  Pasadena, California

Project Brief:

The Eaton Fire of 2025 claimed the home of LuAnn and Victor in Pasadena’s Upper Hastings Ranch. Their original residence was a quintessential mid-century ranch house designed by Edward Fickett, AIA, whose post-and-beam lightness and indoor-outdoor continuity defined an era of California modernism. It was also deeply personal: a gallery for treasured artwork, curated furnishings, and a garden they tended for decades.

Rebuilding required honoring Fickett’s architectural DNA while responding to today’s wildfire realities. This collaboration between Fulcrum Architecture and Bevyhouse reimagines Fickett’s aesthetic within a fire-hardened, volumetric modular framework. Conceived around offsite manufacturing, the 2,120-square-foot, four-bedroom home is composed of seven precision-built modules and prefabricated roof modules that create its distinctive vaulted sawtooth form. In a postdisaster environment marked by labor shortages and material volatility, factory fabrication offered quality control, efficiency, and speed. Site and factory work proceeded in parallel, reducing disruption and accelerating recoverybecause in rebuilding, time is not a luxury, but a measure of care for those who’ve lost a home.

The single-story plan centers on a generous communal space. From the entry, sightlines extend through living and dining areas to the garden beyond, restoring the indoor-outdoor dialogue central to Fickett’s work. Clerestory glazing and sliding glass walls draw daylight deep into the interior, creating flexible space for art and family life. Careful coordination enabled a large open span beneath the sawtooth roof - an ambitious move in modular construction. A dramatic cantilevered porch reinterprets Fickett’s “floating” rooflines while integrating non-combustible soffits and fire-safe detailing.

Resilience informed every scale of design. Fiber cement cladding and standing-seam metal roofing form a noncombustible envelope shaped to shed embers. Soffits are enclosed, the crawl space mechanically vented, and dual-pane tempered glazing enhances durability. High-efficiency heat pump systems and balanced energy recovery ventilation support indoor air quality and long-term climate resilience. This rebuild reinforces that modular systems are not a compromise of architectural quality, but another vehicle for it.

Mesa Residence

386EPOPPYFIELDSDR ALTADENA,CA

CONTEXT

THIRTEENYEARSAGO,THEMANGANDIFAMILYCLOSEDESCROWON386EPOPPYFIELDSDRIVEINALTADENAONTHESAMEDAY THEYWELCOMEDTHEIRFIRSTDAUGHTER.OVERTIME,THEHOUSEBECAMEDEEPLYTIEDTOFAMILYLIFEASTHREEDAUGHTERS GREWUPKNOWINGITASTHEIRONLYHOME.WHENWILDFIREDESTROYEDTHESTRUCTURE,REBUILDINGBECAMEAN OPPORTUNITYNOTTOREPLICATEWHATWASLOST,BUTTOCARRYFORWARDTHESPIRITOFTHEHOMEWHILEIMPROVINGSAFETY, DURABILITY,ANDLONG TERMLIVABILITY.

DESIGNAPPROACH

THEDESIGNCENTERSONHOWTHEFAMILYLIVESTODAY.ASINGLE STORYPLANORGANIZESTHEHOMEAROUNDACENTRAL GREATROOM,CREATINGCLEARSIGHTLINES,STRONGDAYLIGHT,ANDDIRECTCONNECTIONSTOTHESURROUNDINGFOOTHILL LANDSCAPE.

ARCHITECTURE&MATERIALITY

THEARCHITECTUREDRAWSFROMCALIFORNIARANCHTRADITIONSINTERPRETEDTHROUGHACONTEMPORARYALTADENA CONTEXT.DEEPOVERHANGSPROVIDESHADE,WHILEVERTICALSIDINGANDSTONEELEMENTSCREATEARESTRAINED,GROUNDED PALETTE.AMUTEDGREENEXTERIORWASSELECTEDTOBLENDWITHALTADENA’SMATURETREECANOPY.

DUKE -NOBLIN RESIDENCE

HAVERFORD RECONSTRUCTION

WIEDENBECK RESIDENCE

Home. For Now & Next...

This home reimagines the classic European cottage, prioritizing human-scale interaction and long -term adaptability inspired by Altadena’s rich architectural history.

By reorienting the garage to a side -facing configuration, the design reclaims the front elevation for a welcoming porch to the owner’s desire to foster spontaneous social interaction and reinforces the pedestrian character of the historic neighborhood.

The architecture balances bold, asymmetrical gable peaks with a disciplined structural logic designed for evolution. High spray foam insulation creates a conditioned, ventless attic, while the integrated structural engineering and strategically placed "false" gable vents anticipate a seamless future conversion of the attic space to living space. This "build -once" philosophy reduces future material waste and ensures the home can grow with its occupants.

The material palette focuses on timeless, non maintenance finishes. These choices prioritize resiliency in a fire region while maintaining a warm, tactile charm. From the public facing front porch to the private rear dining loggia, the home facilitates a continuous connection to the landscape, blending traditional charm with the performance of a contemporary high performance envelope to ensure the home remains a lasting contribution to the neighborhood's fabric.

MARATHON HOUSE

THEN / NOW

through the language of architecture.

Constructed in 1922, the Spanish Colonial Revival home was purchased by the current owners in the mid-2000s and its characterdefining historic features were carefully maintained. In early 2025, the property narrowly avoided total destruction during the Eaton Wildfire. While the structure remained, it suffered significant smoke infiltration and toxic particulate contamination. Post-fire testing revealed elevated toxin levels on all interior and exterior surfaces, requiring extensive remediation.

The most severe damage occurred at the rear, where a small, permitted 1960s addition had been built. This portion was demolished and removed by the Army Corps of Engineers due to structural compromise.

The owners engaged our firm with defined goals, including programmatic needs, budget, and timeline. The scope included reconstruction of the rear portion, interior abatement, and remediation of the remaining exterior.

Beyond repair, the owners sought transformation. They wanted a home that reflected their lifestyle, accommodating entertaining, and a strong indoor-outdoor relationship with their garden. One owner, a HABS architectural photographer, emphasized preserving the historic fabric while upgrading structural, mechanical, and other systems to support contemporary living.

Although not in a historic district, the team remained guided by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. The new addition was designed to be compatible with the existing building in massing, size, and scale, while clearly differentiated. The 1922 portion is to be restored to near-original condition, while the owners embraced a modern design for the addition. The kitchen acts as a transitional space, bridging old and new.

The addition’s gently sloping asymmetrical gable roof references the Spanish-style gables of the existing house, exceeding existing height by only 10%. Metal siding complements the angular geometry, with the finish color drawn from the historic terracotta roof. New apertures are taller and narrower than existing openings to bring more light into the expanded volume.

Cost: Construction

Specs: Doors and windows: Weather Shield Contemporary Collection, wood-aluminum clad; metal siding: Metal Sales; steel structure: NextGen; flooring: 2” solid red oak; custom cabinetry throughout

CASA MARIPOSA

a modern spanish home

Best Value Design

a place for stories and renewal

Collaborative Vision

The

These

the archways will be prefabricated off-site to reduce labor costs. Simple yet expressive roof geometry creates various heights at the primary spaces while reducing extra framing for attic spaces. Solar path analysis informed window placement (4) daylight optimization and reduction in solar heat gain. A PV roof system will reduce long-term electrical costs. Material and color selections draw inspiration from traditional Mexican artisanal tile and earth tones, honoring the family’s cultural heritage. Local vendors offering discounts on stone and tile for fire rebuilds will be utilized. Fire-resilient construction strategies—such as slabon-grade foundations

The Horizon

LAVENEZIARESIDENCE

AFTERTHEEATONFIRE,SANDRAANDJOELWERENOTLOOKINGTOSIMPLYREPLACEWHATWASLOST.THEYWANTEDTORECOVERTHEFEELINGOFHOME,COZY,FUNCTIONAL,ANDGROUNDED INABELIEFTHEYREPEATEDTHROUGHOUTTHEPROCESS,THATEVENINDIFFICULTSITUATIONS,THEONLYDIRECTIONISFORWARD.

OURDESIGNPROCESSBEGANBYLISTENING.WESTUDIEDHOWTHEYHADLIVED,WHATTHEYMISSEDMOST,ANDWHATTHEYHADALWAYSHOPEDTOIMPROVE.INSPIRATIONCAMEFROMTHEIR TRAVELSTONAPOLIANDTHESIMPLICITYOFTHEITALIANCOUNTRYSIDE,HONESTMATERIALS,TEXTUREDWALLS,WARMLIGHT,ANDCAREFULLYCRAFTEDSPACES.THATSENSEOFRESTRAINT SHAPEDTHEVISIONFROMTHESTART.

SANDRAHASLONGENJOYEDGARDENINGANDBUILDINGFURNITURE,ANDHERHOMEWASFILLEDWITHPOTTEDPLANTSANDHANDMADEPIECES.JOELISAPROFESSOR,AVIDWITHWORDSAND DEEPTHINKING,ANDTOGETHERTHEYCOLLECTEDBOOKSANDARTTHATDEFINEDTHEIRINTERIORS.THEIRLIVESARETHOUGHTFULANDINTENTIONAL,CENTEREDAROUNDCREATIVITY, LEARNING,ANDHOME.THEYWANTEDFAMILIARITY,WARMTH,ANDTHEABILITYTOAGEINPLACE.THENEWDESIGNLOWERSANDREWORKSTHEGRADETOIMPROVEACCESSANDCREATEA STRONGERRELATIONSHIPBETWEENTHEHOUSEANDTHESTREET.

THERESULTISASINGLESTORYMEDITERRANEANINSPIREDHOMEWITHANATTACHEDGARAGE,CAREFULLYORGANIZEDWITHINTHELIMITSOFASMALLLOT.AGABLEDENTRYWITHSIMPLEEAVE DETAILSMARKSARRIVALANDRESTORESPRESENCETOTHESTREET.APROJECTINGBAYWINDOWADDSDEPTHANDASENSEOFDAILYLIFETOTHEFAÇADE.INSIDE,BUILTINSHELVING,QUIET READINGAREAS,ANDSMALLARCHITECTURALGESTURES,INCLUDINGDISCREETCATNOOKS,TRANSLATETHEIRDAILYROUTINESINTOARCHITECTURE.

RESILIENCEGUIDEDEVERYDECISION.THEHOMEINCLUDESACLAYTILEROOFOVERANUNVENTEDASSEMBLY,STUCCOLAYEREDOVERDENSGLASSFORFIRERESISTANCE,ALUMINUMWINDOWS, ANDEMBERRESISTANTCRAWLSPACEVENTING.THELANDSCAPESUPPORTSDEFENSIBLESPACETHROUGHGRAVEL,CLAYPAVERS,STONESLABS,ANDPRIMARILYPOTTEDPLANTING,REDUCING CONTINUOUSFUELWHILEPRESERVINGFLEXIBILITY.

SUSTAINABILITYISADDRESSEDTHROUGHANALLELECTRICAPPROACH,SOLARREADYPLANNING,ANDAHIGHPERFORMANCEROOFASSEMBLYWITHHIGHDENSITYANDBATTINSULATION. OPERABLEWINDOWSSUPPORTCROSSVENTILATIONANDDAILYCOMFORT.

VALUEWASACHIEVEDTHROUGHDISCIPLINEDMOVES,SIMPLIFIEDROOFGEOMETRY,ALIGNEDWALLSANDOPENINGS,ANDSIMPLEEAVEDETAILSTHATREDUCEDCONSTRUCTIONCOMPLEXITY. DETAILISCONCENTRATEDATTHEENTRYANDATTHEBAYWINDOWWITHCAREFULLYCRAFTEDWOODTRIM.LIMESTONE,QUARTERSAWNOAK,AGEDBRASS,ANDROMANCLAYPROVIDE WARMTHWHILEMAINTAININGARESTRAINEDMATERIALPALETTE.

THISHOMEDOESNOTREPLICATETHEPAST.ITCARRIESMEMORYFORWARDWITHINTENTION.FORSANDRAANDJOEL,ANDFORALTADENAREBUILDINGTOGETHER,THEARCHITECTURE REFLECTSASHAREDBELIEFTHATTHEONLYWAYTHROUGHISONWARD.

Reiko Architecture

Resilient House - Steel and Continuous Insulation

HIGHLIGHTS

• Bringing cool Northern Light into the darkest part of the house, reducing the need for artificial lights during the day

• ~1 month construction timeline

• Familiar system by local jurisdiction for permitting (conventional light gauge steel) with numerous historically approved projects

• 1/3 of conventional construction cost

• 4 HR rated envelope

• High insulation values, reducing HVAC load by up to 60%

• Non-combustible - ICC approved steel studs

• Can be constructed using unskilled labor

• No organic material - no termite issues

• Designed to withstand hurricane winds and CA seismic zone 4 forces

The

construction timelines, and elevating performance standards, the project transforms loss into an opportunity for long-term resilience.

The house returns — in the same place — but built for a different future.

HIGHLAND FIRE REBUILD

the sculptural reform

rising from the foothills

Marengo House & AD

Architecture:

Structure:

Images:

Before the fires, the clients spent a lot of time in the yard with their daughters and dog, following the shade of the deodar cedars, moving inside and out, dashing down to the half-basement and up to the shed. The house was small, but they lived across every inch of the site.

From our first meeting, they knew they wanted to increase the size of their house (and add a second story at their daughters’ request!), add an ADU, and shield themselves from the busy streets out front. They were also very clear that they did not want to rebuild what was there before “like-for-like”, and instead were determined to create a “mountain escape” that had mid-century sensibilities tuned to a contemporary context.

Our design challenge, then, was to break down the mass and scale of all the added building volume to create a protected internal world where daily life could sprawl casually across and between buildings.

We relocated the home’s footprint from the back of the property to the limits of the front yard setback, creating a strong street presence that aligns with the context of Altadena. A modest single-story structure with a pitched roof conceals a two-story volume beyond, maintaining a neighborhood scale and cohesion while creating layered domestic spaces.

Responding to the family’s desire for a connection to the landscape, the Lshaped primary residence and detached ADU frame a shared courtyard, placing the outdoors at the center of the project. The building forms and roof overhangs delineate a range of microclimates

The landscape is subtly regraded to allow stormwater to move naturally across the site and under a “bridge” that connects the main house’s kitchen to the two-story bedroom volume. The clients own a nursery that specializes in regionally appropriate plants, and they will gradually fill the site in with the things they love.

The roof is a key architectural feature, but it’s also an expression of numerous key sustainability and resiliency features. Formally, it provides generous shading to all of the openings, reducing solar heat gain. Its unvented metal assembly (with closed, cement board-clad soffits) stops wildfire embers from entering the house. Like the rest of the house, the roof has continuous exterior mineral wool insulation, so no spray foam or petroleum-based products are used. Within the insulated roof cavity, an HRV system is paired with ducted mini-splits to efficiently control climate and air quality.

Inside, the pitched ceilings are clad with a canopy of wood milled from the property’s fire-damaged deodar cedars. Wood fin walls sit below the canopy’s interior soffit, holding it up and shaping unique thresholds to the neighborhood outside and the courtyard inside. The slab-on-grade foundation is revealed as an exposed concrete floor, which steps up and down to follow the site’s topography.

With these gestures, we hope the home reflects the spirit of the site and the family

A Regional Template

The Billy began as a response to one community’s need and through collaboration grew into a model for Greater Los Angeles. First permitted in Los Angeles County for Eaton Fire recovery, the plan was adapted for the Palisades in partnership with local nonprofit builders. This California Ranch House is now fully preapproved as a standard plan for fire rebuilds in two recovery areas under two unique jurisdictions. This project shows what is possible when government agencies, professionals, nonprofits, and communities work together.

2026 Rebuild Design Awards

Features of the Design

• 1,290 Square Feet

• 25’-0”W x 62’-2”L

• Two Bedrooms

• Two Bathrooms

Interior Design Selections & Performance

Originally donated as a concept design by an interior design student from Altadena, the Billy is also available in the Tudor Style as (“the Marlowe”). with 1,296 square feet fit in a 25-foot width, the Billy delivers efficient, livable space for the narrow lots common to both historic Altadena and the Alphabet Streets in the Palisades. Two porches and a side patio extend programmable space beyond the footprint of the house. Each design configuration option meets Chapter 7A WUI fire-hardening standards for the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, realizing California living through cutting-edge resilience.

ENGLISH ARTS & CRAFTS

FAMILY HOME

ALTADENA, CA

This project replaces a 1935 Tudor-style, corner lot, family home lost in the 2025 Eaton Fire. The homeowners sought to rebuild, honoring the character and memory of their multigenerational family home — adapting it to modern living with an emphasis on fire resilience, environmental sustainability, and healthy home design.

In sharing concepts, drawings, materials, and questions, we learned the homeowners’ top priority is long-term accessibility. In response, the essential spaces are located on the ground floor, with only secondary bedrooms on the second floor. Other "must-haves" include a front courtyard; an ample sequence of kitchen, dining, family, and living room to accommodate large gatherings; and a bay window at the kitchen sink. Most importantly, the new structure must be sited to preserve and integrate an existing wood pergola the homeowners built themselves for their wedding in 1975 — the only element to survive the fire.

While the massing and form express Tudor precedents through asymmetry, steep roof pitches, and an unsupported chimney, we introduced English Arts & Crafts shaped eaves and brick arches into the mix. Details include EcoStar ‘slate’ roofing, a brick chimney, decorative attic vents, eyebrow shed dormers, timber lintels over multi-lite windows, leaded glass windows at the entry, a new outdoor living and dining terrace embraced by low brick-capped landscape walls, and a small outbuilding for gardening tools and trash enclosure.

Sustainable strategies focus on accessibility, energy-efficiency, water conservation, and long-term durability. With essential spaces on the ground floor, the home utilizes passive ventilation, a multizone VRF HVAC system, Energy Star appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures, LED lighting, an electric heat pump water heater, and local materials. Outside, pervious hardscape and drought-resistant landscape protect the home.

For fire resilience, the stucco house is wrapped with DensGlass and DensDeck, using EcoStar ‘slate’ roofing, a brick chimney and details, with a vented crawlspace. The wood windows and doors are aluminum-clad, with all lintels, enclosed eaves, corbels, and trim constructed of fiber cement, integrating brick window sills and surrounds. The attic is fully sealed and sprayfoam-insulated with false/decorative attic vents to eliminate fire penetration while defining the vernacular style. The estimated construction cost will likely be approximately $2.7M to $3M.

A client and neighbor who lost their home referred these homeowners to our firm (now leading multiple neighborhood rebuild projects). This network of shared recovery informed a design approach responding to each family’s individual needs and goals, shaped by the character and goals of the neighborhood. This project preserves a meaningful, hand-built pergola, with new open-plan spaces and new outdoor living areas designed to reinforce the home’s role as a neighborhood anchor and to welcome shared meals and connection.

3433 MONTEROSA DRIVE 2026 REBUILD DESIGN AWARDS

BY

SCONCES THAT REINFORCE SYMMETRY AND PROVIDE

NING ILLUMINATION. TO THE LEFT, A WOOD-CLAD GARAGE DOOR SITS BENEATH A PERGOLA OF EXPOSED TIMBER BEAMS, CASTING LAYERED SHADOWS AND EXTENDING THE MATERIAL PALETTE ACROSS THE FAÇADE. DECORATIVE BREEZE BLOCK INSERTS PUNCTUATE THE SOLID WALLS, FILTERING LIGHT AND REFERENCING TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP WITHIN A CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE. THE BALANCE OF SOLID SURFACES AND PERFORATED SCREENS ENHANCES VENTILATION, PRIVACY, AND VISUAL TEXTURE.

PUNAHOU STREET RESIDENCE #2, ALTADENA

PROJECT NARRATIVE:

Punahou Street Residence #2 is a new 2,807 SF split level residence, with a 443 SF garage with 449 SF basement music studio, along with a 1,092 SF attached ADU built on a site that was devastated in the Eaton Fire.

The Design Process is for a family close to the architect and the office is providing services Pro bono. The clients are a multigenerational family that was devastated by the Eaton fire not only taking away the family home but also the home business of operation. Shortly after the fire the patriarch of the family was diagnosed with prostate cancer and the family was thrown into further turmoil and chaos. The design is almost through plan check and is expected to be released by the LA County consultants in the next few weeks.

Resilience features include increased fire resilience by having 2” of Rockwool Comfortboard rigid mineral wool insulation (non-combustible and fire resilient) placed on the exterior above the plywood and waterproofing, this not only increases the insulation value of the wall and roof framing it acts as a non-combustible shield. The exterior will be either the built up system and clad using Hardie Panel, or Hardie Artisan Cladding with HardieDrainage™️ Horizontal Steel Furring underneath (metal hat channels) or using U-Stucco a Green Building and Fireproof stucco. The roof is built with Standing Seam Metal attached to the rigid insulation (not directly attached to any plywood) and will be vented using Vulcan Vents (intumescent vents). The eaves are built using metal that mimics the look of wood and will have exterior fire sprinklers on a separate system than the interior.

Costs are being thoughtfully controlled by ensuring that roughly 95 percent of all components are readily available through Home Depot and Lowe’s. Rather than pursuing exotic construction systems, the design relies on inventive yet fundamentally conventional methods, executed with familiar, industry-standard detailing.

Interior cabinetry will be sourced from IKEA and custom-faced in wood from Angel City Lumber to elevate its finish. Wood flooring will be locally sourced, including material from Angel City Lumber, which is crafting finishes from trees felled in the Eaton Fire itself.

DABNEY STREET RESIDENCE, ALTADENA

PROJECT NARRATIVE:

Dabney Street Residence new 1948 sf single family residence (201 lower level, with 1422 sf upper level, and 265 sf living room mezzanine), with a 422 sf two car Garage. Lower Level includes Garage, Entry/Genkan, Entry Stairs, and Gym. Upper Level Includes Laundry, Half Bathroom, Office, Kitchen, 2 Bedrooms, Full Bathroom, Main Bedroom, with Main Closet and Main Bathroom Suite. A Living Room is also on the upper levels above the garage.

The Design is a very close collaboration with the family, having worked closely on all of the layout (the lowered Genkan entry), to the layout not having a Dining Room (not how the family live their lives), to the Feng Shui organizations, to Living Room configuration, to the unusual skylight and shower configurations, to and all of the doors and window choices. Every fixture, appliance, and tile has been hand chosen with the Clients. Resilience features include increased fire resilience by having 2” of Rockwool Comfortboard rigid mineral wool insulation (non-combustible and fire resilient) placed on the exterior above the plywood and waterproofing, this not only increases the insulation value of the wall and roof framing it acts as a non-combustible shield. The exterior will be either the built up system and clad using Hardie Panel, or Hardie Artisan Cladding with HardieDrainage™ Horizontal Steel Furring underneath (metal hat channels) or using Porcelain cladding a green an highly durable fireproof material. The roof is built with Standing Seam Metal attached to the rigid insulation (not directly attached to any plywood) and will be vented using Vulcan Vents (intumescent vents). The eaves are built using metal that mimics the look of wood and will have exterior fire sprinklers on a separate system than the interior.

Costs are being carefully managed by specifying that approximately 95% of all components are readily available through Home Depot and Lowe’s. While the design could have pursued more exotic construction techniques, it instead embraces inventive yet fundamentally conventional methods, executed with familiar, industry-standard detailing. Interior cabinetry will be Ikea but faced with custom fronts. Wood flooring will be sourced locally and from Angel City Lumber that is creating finishes from the fallen trees from the Eaton Fire itself

FOOTHILL FACETS

WEST ELEVATION - 1/8” = 1’ 0”

PROJECT NARRATIVE

Dramatically angled roofs contrast the otherwise horizontal massing of this 2,300 square foot Eaton Fire rebuild project. The roof forms subtly reference the shifting profiles of the nearby San Gabriel Mountains, a constant presence and one of the defining features of the Altadena neighborhood. These angular volumes rise and fall against the more grounded base of the house, abstracting the mountain ridgelines into a contemporary residential scale. A two-tone cladding strategy of bright metallic panels and dark fiber cement lap siding intentionally reinforces this reading from the front and playfully subverts it from the rear. The result is a deceptively simple structure that utilizes volume and materiality to produce interest without relying on costly details.

The three sloped roofs provide the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and primary bath with high ceilings and clerestory windows. Transitions from sloped to flat ceilings, such as from the living room to dining room, subtly delineate space without interrupting flow. For a family of three that always cherished their yard, the trees and plants that survived the fire are even more precious, and the house is oriented to provide a direct connection between the backyard and communal spaces.

In addition to living space for three, this home provides a full-time and part-time office and space for out of town guests while maintaining a modest square footage.

Beyond the required features for construction within Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, this project features an unvented crawl space and roof assembly, eliminating all vents from the home and the associated fire risk. All exterior landings and patios are concrete. The south facing sloped roof provides space for a future solar power and battery backup system.

Lizard House

1025 Beverly Way

Architect:

Client: Eddie Aparicio & Jordan Petitt

Lizard House emerged from loss. After the Eaton Fire destroyed their Altadena home, artist Eddie Aparicio and therapist Jordan Aparicio approached rebuilding not as replication, but as reinvention. What began as recovery became a deeply collaborative exploration between client and architect—an iterative dialogue about material, memory, ecology, and resilience.

From the outset, Eddie proposed two generative ideas: construct the house from cross-laminated timber (CLT), and develop a form inspired by the Western Fence Lizard, a resilient and ubiquitous presence in Altadena’s foothills. The design evolved through ongoing exchanges—sketches, models, and material studies—translating these concepts into architecture. Four interlocking volumes stack and rotate across the sloped site, abstracting the articulated body of the lizard while optimizing mountain views to the northeast and expansive city vistas to the southwest. The massing lowers toward the street and rises toward the rear, reducing neighborhood impact while framing distant horizons.

The 3,000 SF project includes a 2,500 SF main residence and a 500 SF ADU. A primary suite bridges over an open courtyard, creating shaded parking below and establishing a layered threshold sequence. Entry occurs through a sunken forecourt designed as an informal gathering space— an intentional gesture toward rebuilding community after collective loss.

Materially, the house advances alternative construction methods through a mass timber structural system. CLT panels provide inherent fire resistance, seismic performance, reduced embodied carbon, and accelerated construction timelines—critical in post-fire rebuilding contexts. The structure is expressed internally, its warmth contrasting with a fire-hardened exterior skin of precast GFRC rainscreen panels. The facade, still in its final development, draws inspiration from the client-inspired prompt of Mayan architecture and the Ceiba tree—an axis mundi symbolizing balance between earth and sky, but also a tree that is hardened to its exterior environment. Vertical articulation and depth create shadow, texture, and a quiet monumentality rooted in cultural reference yet distinctly contemporary.

Inside, exposed timber ceilings, integrated millwork, and sculptural stair elements establish a “blank canvas” framework. The architecture anticipates gradual inhabitation: custom cabinetry, kiln-fired tile, handmade light fixtures, metalwork, and locally sourced boulders will be integrated over time. The home becomes both dwelling and evolving artwork.

Lizard House embodies resilience at multiple scales— material, environmental, cultural, and communal. It is a fire-conscious mass timber prototype, a collaborative act of rebuilding, and a deeply personal architectural expression. Through its synthesis of alternative construction, symbolic form-making, and sustained client-architect dialogue, the project transforms tragedy into opportunity and establishes a model for thoughtful post-disaster design.

Located within the established residential fabric of Altadena, this project proposes a cohesive multi-unit residential compound that reinterprets the traditional single-fam ily lot as a layered, architecturally unified ecosystem. Rather than dispersing density through unrelated structures, the design organizes three dwelling units— a front duplex, an attached ground-level ADU, and a detached rear ADU—into a disciplined composition bound by shared geometry, material continuity, and proportional clarity.

At the street, the duplex anchors the property with two connected gabled volumes. Their aligned ridge heights and symmetrical proportions reinforce neighborhood roof rhythms while maintaining a contemporary restraint. The gabled form is familiar within Altadena’s residential context, yet its detailing is minimal—clean fascia lines, flush skylights, and carefully framed openings articulate a refined architectural language without ornament.

Embedded within the ground level between the duplex volumes is an attached ADU. Rather than appearing as an addition, this unit is carved into the base of the structure, maintaining the compositional balance of the street façade. Its integration demonstrates how in creased housing capacity can be absorbed into massing without increasing perceived bulk. Independent access and adjacency to the circulation spine allow functional autonomy while preserving architectural coherence.

Light is treated as a design material. In late afternoon, warm sunlight casts elongated shadows across textured masonry and horizontal siding, emphasizing depth and surface variation. The interplay of shadow and proportion reinforces the project’s tectonic clarity and material authenticity.

The elongated 50-by-132-foot parcel establishes the primary ordering logic. A linear circulation spine runs along the right property line in the form of a 10-foot-wide driveway, guiding movement from the public street edge toward the rear of the lot. This longitudinal strategy preserves openness across the depth of the site while clearly distinguishing between public frontage, transitional yard space, and private rear conditions. The spatial experience unfolds gradually, revealing layers of habitation rather than presenting density all at once.

yet when carefully composed, they create a refined and cohesive architectural expression.

CUATRO FAMILIAS

A New Model for Multi-Family Living in Altadena

PALISADES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REBUILD

concentrating development away from the public edge. Parking is integrated as a concealed interior courtyard, preserving a pedestrian-focused environment while maintaining functionality.

Located in Altadena, Mariposa emerges with new California housing incentives and forward-looking legislation reshaping

supports evolving lifestyles, and positions Altadena at the forefront of California’s next chapter in residential design.

On Design and Sustainabilty

El Sereno Haven: Transitional Housing

El Sereno Haven is a transitional housing project responding to the loss of 18 lives and displacement of community due to the Eaton Fire. The site itself is about 10 miles from Altadena and also a result of decades of disruption, with Caltrans acquiring neighborhoods in Alhambra and El Sereno through eminent domain. As a result the current zoning has been zoned as Public Facilities, resulting in an unusual mix of commercial, industrial, and residential buildings nearby.

The design process was to develop a universal module that could be rotated, re-nested or reassembled to accommodate different groupings and resident needs. The cluster housing units are designed to explore the leaning qualities of a trapezoid. Similarly found amongst family, friends, and community is a trust to lean on one another. The modules are flexible as stand-alone units or paired along with other trapezoidal sets. The design process explores the trapezoidal modules split uniquely so they additionally articulate a fabric that leans together, as we are learning how to rebuild what was lost and anew. The project attempts to reconnect people through a shared experience, indoor/outdoor living, and an exploration of spatial perspective.

On the North side of the site are train tracks, and to the East is a residential part of Alhambra. El Sereno Haven centers on community resilience, and offers transitional housing and a resilience center for these under-resourced neighborhoods. Community is encouraged through shared resources. The project is a flexible dignified design proposal with various openings and shading to help provide comfort. Perspective is explored through the trapezoidal prism being divided and reassembled into new spatial configurations, gaining stability through interconnectedness. The project is more than shelter: it attempts to bring people together after the Eaton Fire, and responding to site and climate conditions.

Divided in two and paired together, the scale of the trapezoidal modules are assembled in a composition that responds to the average Altadena 2.7 household, with particular consideration for people with disabilities, and working class professionals. A substantial amount of flexible opportunities are available at the lower levels of the clusters to accommodate people with disabilities. The exploration between the two compositions promotes an expansive space of connection. The project also gives unique opportunities to indoor/outdoor living in both the lower and upper levels.

El Sereno Resilience Center is located on the northwest side of the site with primary access from Valley Blvd., and secondary access from Front Street. The pathways encourage access from the surrounding parts of the neighborhood to encourage community interaction and offer services such as kitchens, spaces for health care, education, public gatherings, and public showers and restrooms. The center stands as a beacon for survivors from the Eaton Fire, and a shared space of learning and renewal for residents from Alhambra and El Sereno. It is a space for people to learn, rebuild, and move forward together on a planet that constantly teaches us resilience.

Case Studies

geometric space frame made almost entirely

structure is welcoming and accessible to pedestrians in creating separation from the heavy traffic and car noise from the highway exit and onramp straddling both sides of the site. This is mainly achieved by pushing the corridors in both arms outward to act as a sound wall and provide security from outside conditions. The entire structure

JANE W. PALM

&Collaborative

SiteArea:2,332SF

Project

CafeDeLechesymbolizesthereconstructionofacherishedneighborhoodgatheringplace thatwaslostintheEatonCanyonFire.ThecollaborationbetweenthearchitectsandCafeDe Lechebeganin2007withtheestablishmentofitsfirstlocationinHighlandPark.Thispartnership continuedin2015withtheadaptivereuseofamodestretailbuildinginAltadena,andhassince expandedtoHollywoodandPasadenaCityCollege,becomingavitalpartofthecommunity.

Thenewbuildingemphasizesthesespatialqualitiesbycenteringaroundacontinuouspublic threshold.Thiscentralcirculationspineconnectsthestreettotherearyard,prioritizingoutdoor gatheringareasandallowingforflexibleprogrammingsuchasmarketsandcommunityevents.

TimberandglulambeamgridsextendfromtwoConcreteMasonryUnit(CMU)volumes, creatingashadedenvironmentwhilehighlightingthestructuraldesign.TheCMUwallsanchor thestructuretothesite,andthewarmcolorsofthetimberrestoreasenseoftrustinnature.This projectbalancesresilience,memory,andciviclife,demonstratinghowpost-disaster reconstructioncanstrengthencommunitythroughthoughtfullydesignedspaces.

Size:715SF

Zoning:C-3

Construction:Non-Conventional,Fire

ResistantGlulam&NonCombustibleCMU

SITECONTEXT REVIT

HOMEWOOD RESIDENCE

Homewood Residence rebuild pays homage to the architectural legacy of the original. First built on a quiet Altadena cul-de-sac in 1932, the Homewood Residence was designed by H. Roy Kelley, the revered architect who helped popularize ranch-style homes across California. The design both maintains and enhances the parts of the original house that charmed our clients into calling this treasure their forever home.

The residence's key design element is its indoor-outdoor connection, featuring a continuous veranda with a disconnected roof deck on the second story. Our rebuild reimagined these outdoor spaces on the top level as being connected to further enhance and promote continuous outdoor circulation. The veranda now wraps around the primary bedroom, slightly expanding the square footage on the first floor, and leads to the open roof deck with views of the vast rear yard. Incorporating fire-resistant materials and detailing, the goal for the Homewood Residence is to re-root this home into the legacy of Altadena while also contributing to the post-fire architectural heritage for generations to come.

HOUSE OF THREE VOLUMES

BIG & LITTLE HOUSE

alyssum house

projectnarrative

When

living spaces, expanded a previously cramped back porch and added a dedicated utility room. A pivotal shift involved the 346-square-foot ADU for their mother. Originally, this was a converted detached garage that fragmented the backyard, a signi cant drawback for an outdoor-oriented family with dogs. By integrating the

To understand this home, one must rst understand the silence that followed the re. Before the loss, the atmosphere here was de ned by sensory richness: the tactile drop of a needle on vinyl, the sizzle of a cast-iron skillet, and the fragrance of garden grown tomatoes on a kitchen island. This 1925 English Revival "Janes Cottage" was never just a structure; it was a vessel for a slow, intentional life. When the wild re swept through, it didn't just claim a roof and walls, it interrupted a decades-long song.

The rebuilding process began with a directive to "bring the soul back." The clients, devotees of the analog world - lm cameras, vintage cars, and tactile history, rejected the idea of a modern "white box." They yearned for the return of the cottage aesthetic: steep roof pitches, arched windows, and intimate, human-scaled spaces. Our challenge was to resurrect a century-old architectural soul while secretly armoring it against a climate reality the original builders never anticipated.

We approached the design as "hardened memory." The 1,372 square-foot footprint mirrors the original, respecting the historic cadence of the neighborhood. However, beneath the vintage skin lies a fortress. While the wood-framed structure meticulously recreates the 1920s silhouette, the material palette was transmuted for re defense. The exterior is clad in heavy, re-resistant cement stucco, and the roof, formerly vulnerable wood shake was reimagined in Class A standing seam metal. This choice was critical; it honors the traditional lines required by the historical context while providing a non-combustible shield against falling embers. We further reinforced the envelope with dual-paned tempered glazing and specialized ember-resistant vents, ensuring future re safety

The site also required a hydrological correction. The original 1925 grading had ignored a history of nuisance ooding. We reshaped the topography, harmonizing the site’s drainage to protect the foundation and clear the path for a new 565-square-foot detached garage. More than a parking space, this accessory structure is a high-ceilinged workshop equipped with a car lift and heavy-duty utility, allowing the owner to continue the work of breathing life into old machinery.

Sustainability here is quiet rather than performative. The home integrates a solar array ush with the metal roof and EV charging infrastructure, bridging the gap between vintage mechanics and a carbon-conscious future. Navigating the "like-for-like" approval process with the Planning Department required a surgical level of detail to ensure Art Nouveau ourishes met modern wild re codes without compromise.

By balancing the "wants" of the past like the edible gardens and library walls for records with the "needs" of the present like ood mitigation and re hardening this project proves that resilience does not require the abandonment of history. The house stands ready to welcome the music back, built to last this time for good.

The scent of new paint had barely faded when the ashes began to fall. She had just nished remodeling her home. New appliances. Carefully selected nishes. Pocket doors that slid precisely into place. A kitchen arranged exactly the way she liked it, because cooking for friends and family was a loving ritual. The house re ected her: meticulous, thoughtful, quietly expressive.

When we rst sat together after the loss, we intentionally moved the conversation away from the tangible to the intangible. We guided her to look past the crisis and talk instead about the qualities of living that she holds dear: the way morning sun should enter from the east or how a table for eight should sit near doors that open to the garden. We believe a home is not just shelter but a companion you grow old with. A home built to endure.

This is not a like-for-like rebuild. It’s a reckoning. The previous home, originally built in 1929, a Spanish bungalow had evolved over time to be layered with additions. The garage sat at the rear, reached by a narrow, steep driveway that never felt quite right. After the re, that topographical constraint became an opportunity. We studied the slope carefully, tucking parking beneath the house in a subterranean garage. This move frees the rear yard, simpli es circulation and transforms what was once a daily inconvenience into a seamless arrival.

From the beginning, the process was iterative and collaborative. Multiple schemes were tested: shifting stair locations from side to center, studying roof forms (never at; always pitched), weighing prefab possibilities and balancing parking requirements with livable space. As the work progressed, successive design versions quietly followed the client’s changing emotional landscape; each modi cation bringing greater clarity with what she ultimately wanted the project to become. Planning research was extensive; resilience and code compliance informed every move.

The new design rises to two stories, about 3,130 s.f., organized around openness and light. The ground oor holds the heart of the house: kitchen, dining and living in uid connection, anchored by a gas replace and expansive glazing. Bedrooms are positioned for exibility, including a space that could serve as a future primary suite should stairs ever become di cult. Upstairs, the primary bedroom is vaulted beneath a pitched roof, oriented for morning light with balconies marking sunrise and sunset.

Wild re resilience is embedded quietly. Cat face stucco exterior walls, Class A roo ng, aluminum clad windows with dual panes glazing and re-resistant vents. The structure is stronger. The systems are smarter. This home is not nostalgia; it is intention. It acknowledges loss without being de ned by it. It is designed for longevity: spatially adaptable, structurally resilient, and is emotionally grounded. For a woman who believes she has many decades ahead, this house is the companion that will walk with her through them.

To

235 VENTURA STREET ALTADENA CA 91001

CONSTRUCTION

DAVIS RESIDENCE

DESIGNINTENT

Asingle-familyresidenceisbeingrebuiltinAltadena,featuringadetachedAccessory DwellingUnit(ADU)designedforawarm,family-orientedlifestyle.Thedesignteamhas workedcloselywiththehomeownerstoreimaginetheprevioushomewhilemaintaining thesamefootprint.Theprojectfocusesonimprovingfunctionality,enhancing connectionstogardensandmountainviews,andprioritizingfiresafetyandenergy efficiency.Itiscurrentlyinthefinalpermittingstage.

Thedesignfeatureshighceilingsthatcreatelight-filledinteriors,alongwithskylights andclerestorywindowstohelpregulateinteriortemperatures.Boththemainresidence andtheADUshareacohesivearchitecturalstyle,characterizedbyshedroofsand prominentskylightprojections.Thestructuraldesignaddressestheseneedswithsimple andeconomicalsolutions,utilizinglong-spanmembersandbeamstosupporttheroof andextensiveoverhangs.

Sustainabilitystrategiesincluderainwatercollectionandoutsulationforahighperformancebuildingenvelope.Fire-resilientmaterialsandNFPA13Dsprinklersystems areintegratedintothedesigntoensuresafetywithoutcompromisingaesthetics.

AltadenaRebuild

SingleFamilyResidence+ADU

A Contemporary Vernacular Ranch

Concept and Integration

This 2,286-square-foot single-family residence reinterprets the traditional ranch-style typology through the lens of modernism. By utilizing a strategic U-shaped floor plan the design crafts a private sanctuary that harmonizes with its specific site conditions. The project is organized around a central interior courtyard a primary requirement for the owner which serves as the home’s organizational and spiritual heart. This configuration creates an intentional separation between living zones, ensuring that every primary space maintains a direct connection to the outdoors.

Architectural Form and Materiality

The home’s low-slung profile and multi-gabled roofline, finished with a standing-seam metal roof, pay homage to the local vernacular while asserting a distinct contemporary identity. The exterior material palette comprising of smooth Santa Barbara stucco and subtle natural earth tones creates a sophisticated interplay of texture and shadow. These selections ground the structure within its landscaped environment while simultaneously providing superior fire resistance, a critical consideration for rebuilding in Altadena.

Volume

and Tectonic Expression

The transition into the social "great room" marks a shift in volume, characterized by a soaring vaulted ceiling that echoes the home's external geometry. This expansive verticality is defined by exposed structural beams and posts, providing a rhythmic, tactile quality to the interior. This honest expression of materiality creates a seamless visual bridge between the interior structure and the courtyard beyond. By keeping the structure visible, the design achieves a sense of crafted transparency where the home s skeletal form becomes an integral part of its aesthetic identity.

Design for Well-being and Performance

By enveloping the central courtyard, the design optimizes passive solar orientation and facilitates natural cross-ventilation, significantly reducing the home's energy footprint. This layout also serves as a protective acoustic buffer, effectively mitigating street noise. Deep roof overhangs and strategic glazing allow for an abundance of natural light while managing solar heat gain, resulting in a high-performance and resilient living environment. The interior architecture is divided into two distinct zones a social, open-concept "great room" and secluded sleeping wings to elegantly support the multifaceted demands of modern family life.

DEVIRIAN HOUSE AND ADU

“Every day you play with the light of the Universe” Pablo Neruda

“A cat curled in sleep engulfs a small room with purrs A house becomes a home” Deborah Barchi

In the aftermath of the horrific Eaton Fire, our client requested a new home and ADU inspired by poetry and filled with light. The design sprang from her poetic references specific spatial requirements and continued with constant discussion throughout the design process.

Our cost-conscious solution is a modern composition of airy volumes and outdoor spaces, offset to create outdoor rooms for each unit and to lend privacy to each of the buildings.

We wanted to design a home that an artist would love, and that inspires creativity. Using simple materials, deployed honestly, the drama of the design is achieved through manipulation of interior volumes, interplay of indoor and outdoor spaces, and large windows connecting the interior to the site and views to the mountains beyond.

The front house (1,300 sf) sets public and private spaces diagonal to each other, with a carport and outdoor patio taking up the open corners. At the east and west perimeter of the house, the ceilings stretch upwards and end in skylights to create dramatic, light filled volumes.

Behind the main house, the small ADU (581 sf) in a compact version of the same ideas the drive the main house. A one-bedroom unit with ample storage, the open plan living/dining/kitchen space opens up in volume to create a bright and inviting space. The two buildings interlock on site with their own patios and outdoor spaces, using the site organization to lend privacy to each yard.

The fire that instigated the project has never been far from our minds, and the homes are designed both with an eye to keep rebuilding costs down, and to increase resiliency in case of another fire disaster. We chose to use slab on grade foundations for both buildings to eliminate crawl spaces and the associated vents that can catch stray embers. The flat roof design has no eaves, and is unvented, both strategies to eliminate places where embers can catch or weak spots on the exterior envelope. The buildings are clad in cementitious stucco and cement fiber panels, both fire resistant materials, and all of the windows will be aluminum frames with tempered glass. The simple overall volumes, with expression limited to large volumetric moves and roof popups, keep construction simple and construction costs down, while still providing a high-quality design that meets the clients brief for a poetic, light-filled space where artists can create.

Project

Narrative

The Eaton Fire erased the original 1942 home in west Altadena - a house built by a determined woman known for tending roses near Farnsworth Park, and later home to a family who raised their daughter there while establishing a nonprofit dedicated to parks, greening, and natural infrastructure. The fire destroyed not only the residence, but also the nonprofit’s office at Altadena and Lake.

In its aftermath, the central question was not simply how to rebuild a structure, but how to rebuild continuity. This project approaches reconstruction as long-term stewardship: phased, fire-adapted, and rooted in community permanence. Rather than a single construction event, the work unfolds in deliberate stages aligned with personal and neighborhood recovery.

Phase One establishes a compact, fire-resilient ADU as immediate dwelling. Constructed with high-mass insulated concrete forms finished in mineral plaster, the enclosure prioritizes noncombustible materials, thermal stability, and minimal concealed cavities. Roof forms are simplified to eliminate ember traps and venting is eleminated. The remainder of the site becomes productive landscape: a small native plant nursery, storage for community tree-watering equipment (currently serving over 300 Altadena homes) and a small mill to process and certify salvaged and locally sourced lumber. Occupation returns while the land prepares for further building.

Phase Two introduces a studio pavilion, reestablishing the nonprofit within walking distance of the community it serves. The architecture functions as civic infrastructure - space for gathering, mentorship, and coordination of recovery efforts. Fragmented massing separates volumes to increase defensible space, reduce radiant heat exposure, and limit fire spread between structures. This phase maintains the native plant nursery, an active homage to the original function of Farnsworth Park.

Phase Three completes the primary double-height family pavilion. Three rectilinear volumes are arranged around a protected courtyard, reducing overall mass while creating a defensible interior clearing. The courtyard moderates climate, admits controlled daylight, and serves as a zone of refuge buffered from prevailing winds and potential embers.

Material strategy is deliberate, simple, and legible. Exterior assemblies rely on mineral, metal, and mass rather than combustible synthetics. Openings are proportioned for performance and protected with ember-resistant screening. All-electric systems are supported by rooftop solar and battery storage to increase post-event resilience. Radiant conditioning, airtight construction, and passive orientation reduce operational loads and improve indoor air quality in a post-fire climate.

An eventual future phase anticipates multigenerational living, with the daughter occupying the primary residence and the parents transitioning to the studio. The architecture is designed to mature over time — adaptable, responsive, and durable.

In responding to the Eaton fire and how we might live today, this project proposes a domestic model that layers defensibility with openness and permanence with change. It is not reconstruction as replication, but adaptation as continuity.

SKADDEN HOME REBUILD

Rebuilding After the 2025 Altadena Wildfires 2861 Windfall Ave, Altadena

100% Design Development | July 2025

DESIGN RESPONSE

TheSkaddenHomeRebuildrestoresa single-familyresidenceinAltadena followingtheJanuary2025wildfires. DesignedbyRADARIncincollaboration withT&SStructural,theproject integrateswildfireresilience,durable materials,andacourtyard-centered planthatcreatesprotectedoutdoor space.

The massing simplifies roof geometry to reduce ember traps while maintaining strong architectural character. Exterior materials include rough stucco, fiber cement siding, and a standing seam metal roof selected for durability and fire performance.

RESILIENCE STRATEGIES

Standing seam metal roof

Fiber cement siding

Rough stucco exterior

Metal shading devices

Courtyard as protected buffer

Defensible landscape zones

Coordinated structural load path

Thecentralcourtyardimproves ventilation,daylight,anddefensible buffering.Landscapestrategies incorporategravelpathwaysandlow plantingzonestosupportfireconscioussitedesign.

Closecoordinationbetweenarchitect andstructuralengineerensureda continuousloadpath,lateralstability, andintegrationofresilientassemblies appropriateforSouthernCalifornia’s seismicandwildfirerisks.

Wildfire-conscious material and structural strategies were integrated early in design development to support longterm durability, defensible space, and seismic performance.

2026 Rebuild Design Awards

Features of the Design

• 1,259 Square Feet

• 30’-0”W x 50’-6”L

• Three Bedrooms

• Two Bathrooms

Pioneering a Pre-approved Standard Plan Program

The Lewis was the first pre-approved standard plan in Los Angeles County history, establishing a permitting model that has since shaped wildfire recovery efforts across the region. Its innovative submittal structure consolidates three facade options, two foundation types, and two roof framing systems into a single plan set, presented as a clear checklist menu for plan checkers and homeowners to select and evaluate. This approach maximizes optionality without multiplying permitting complexity.

Exterior & Interior Design Selections

Homeowners are empowered to personalize the standard plan options through curated, style specific color palettes and interior finish specifications, giving each household room to make the design their own.

For the Community, by the Community

Developed in partnership with Habitat for Humanity SGV, the Lewis prioritizes accessibility in every sense: financial, logistical, and physical. Designed to the clearances and principles of universal design, the home is built to serve residents through every stage of life. The result is a replicable, community-scaled solution that can repopulate Altadena while preserving the architectural character it was built on. The Lewis has become a symbol of hope for what rebuilding can look like: a well-designed home within reach.

RUBIO CANYON RESIDENCE, ALTADENA

PROJECT NARRATIVE:

Rubio Canyon Residence is a new 1,738 SF 3-Bedroom, 2-Bathroom, home with Entry Vestibule, Dining Room, Living Room, Kitchen, Main Suite and Garage

The Design is a very close collaboration the clients who happen to be two retirees that are ex Imagineers. The finishes, layouts, lighting, cabinetry (ikea), have all been carefully coordinated with the clients who have also endlessly visited showrooms and shops and have acted as by proxy office material researchers, not only sourcing local fabricators but also researching the pricing for materials and labor for each of the specific finishes.

Resilience features include increased fire resilience by having 2” of Rockwool Comfortboard rigid mineral wool insulation (non-combustible and fire resilient) placed on the exterior above the plywood and waterproofing, this not only increases the insulation value of the wall and roof framing it acts as a non-combustible shield. The exterior will be either the built up system and clad using Hardie Panel, or Hardie Artisan Cladding with HardieDrainage™ Horizontal Steel Furring underneath (metal hat channels) or using Porcelain cladding a green an highly durable fireproof material. The roof is built with Standing Seam Metal attached to the rigid insulation (not directly attached to any plywood) and will be vented using Vulcan Vents (intumescent vents). The eaves are built using metal that mimics the look of wood and will have exterior fire sprinklers on a separate system than the interior.

Costs are being carefully managed by specifying that approximately 95% of all components are readily available through Home Depot and Lowe’s. While the design could have pursued more exotic construction techniques, it instead embraces inventive yet fundamentally conventional methods, executed with familiar, industry-standard detailing. Interior cabinetry will be Ikea but faced with custom fronts. Wood flooring will be sourced locally and from Angel City Lumber that is creating finishes from the fallen trees from the Eaton Fire itself