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The Phoenix Effect: Designers and Architects Lead the Innovative Rebuild of Fire-Impacted LA. An impassioned panel featuring William Hefner, Jamie Rummerfield, and Gwen Sukeena discusses architectural preservation, fire-resilient design, and community-driven efforts to shape a more thoughtful, resilient Los Angeles in the wake of the devastating wildfires.
The panel, moderated by Kelly Phillips Badal (Los Angeles Editor for Luxe Interiors and Design), focused on the challenges and innovative opportunities arising from the need to rebuild communities—specifically Altadena and the Palisades—after the recent devastating wildfires. The core themes were architectural preservation, fire-resilient building, and community collaboration.
- The Power of Preservation and Moving Homes (Gwen Sukeena):
- Interior designer Gwen Sukeena shared her deeply personal and compelling story of losing her own Altadena home to the fire and, determined to avoid building a “soulless” new structure, decided to save and move a 1910 Craftsman bungalow marked for demolition.
- The process was grueling, taking less than three months and costing approximately $400,000 (including move, deconstruction, and foundation work), saving about one-third of the cost of a new build.
- A significant finding revealed the house was originally built by the Milwaukee Building Company (later Meyer and Holler), known for iconic LA structures like Grauman’s Chinese Theater and the Egyptian Theater.
- Regulatory Advantage: Moving a pre-existing home allows it to be considered a remodel, exempting it from current Title 24 energy codes, which saves costs but requires creative fireproofing solutions (e.g., underneath shingles).
- Architectural Legacy and Community-Driven Guides (Jamie Rummerfield):
- Designer Jamie Rummerfield, co-founder of Save Iconic Architecture (SIA), detailed the initial community response and the need to combat “soulless box” tract homes during the speedy rebuild phase.
- In collaboration with the Design Leadership Network (DLN), SIA created a pattern language book called the Golden California Pattern Book.
- This field guide documents and celebrates the distinct eras that shaped Southern California living (Spanish Revival, Colonial Revival, California Modern, Cali Card), serving as a free resource for the public to understand and reference authentic regional design.
- The initiative launched recently at a town hall and is available online as The New California Classics.
- Fire Resilience and Replicating Character (William Hefner):
- Architect William Hefner (Studio William Hefner), a fifth-generation Californian, emphasized the goal of building fire-resilient structures that still maintain the character clients lost.
- His firm contributed plans to Case Study 2.0, focusing on variety, constructability, and designing for fire resistance using modern materials.
- Solutions involve deep dives into materiality, such as using fiberglass-reinforced concrete that mimics subtle wood texture without serving as kindling, and designing eaves that do not trap embers.
- He detailed a client who, after losing their 20-year-old California Italian Mediterranean Revival house, insisted on rebuilding it exactly as it was, underscoring how architecture is key to identity and emotional recovery.
- Concerns and Future Outlook:
- Panelists expressed concern about the upcoming explosion of building activity leading to opportunism (“land grabs,” unchecked development) and a lack of mindfulness regarding neighborhood character and streetscapes.
- The creative community’s response has been impressive, with architects and designers creating resources like the Foothill Catalog (in Altadena) and the New California Classics to provide high-quality, approachable options for rebuilding.