The destruction of the recent wildfires in Los Angeles has brought unimaginable devastation. With over 57,000 acres burned and over 16,000 structures destroyed, the scale of destruction is unprecedented and whole communities have been forever changed. As we think about the significant reconstruction efforts ahead of us, we must raise the question of how to rebuild in a more thoughtful way. As the design community works to determine what that could look like in the coming months and years, we are aiming to first identify broad strategies to increase resiliency through more considerate design choices, both individually and collectively.
Setting Priorities
More often than not, a range of options are available that balance cost, effectiveness and aesthetics.
There are very few absolutes in design. More often than not, a range of options are available that balance cost, effectiveness and aesthetics. Building codes also offer a baseline for design, but could be considered the minimum bar to meet given the variety of additional strategies available that can incrementally increase the resiliency of a structure.
Through thoughtful design choices on materiality, assembly composition, fire protection systems and site development, designers and owners can better equip structures to handle the severe weather events which seem to be growing in number each year.
Resilient Design Strategies
Each component of the building envelope and surrounding site offer an opportunity for increased resiliency. We have been busy staying informed and coordinating with advocacy groups, governmental agencies and local partners to define approval processes and timelines for upcoming rebuild projects
Our mission is to develop design solutions that meet the needs of the client today and rebuild more thoughtfully in consideration of recent events and future risks.
As part of our pre-design and due diligence phase work, we look to establish where on the resiliency scale a project is, based on various code requirements, location, funding, functionality and aesthetic priorities. Our mission is to develop design solutions that meet the needs of the client today and rebuild more thoughtfully in consideration of recent events and future risks.
In upcoming posts, we’ll explore a building’s materiality, envelope composition, fire protection systems and site development choices in order to understand how these strategies impact the overall resilience of a structure.
- Site Development
- Defensible Zones
- Vegetation Management
- Plant Selection
- Hardscape Design
- Building Materiality
- Roof materiality and assemblies
- Wall materiality and assemblies
- Building Envelope
- Windows and glazing
- Doors
- Sealing for airtight construction
- Guards, vents and screening
- Specialty Systems
- Fire Suppression
- Fire and Smoke Detection
To learn more about how we can work together to incorporate these design strategies in your project, please reach out to us at info@h-h-architects.com.
We’re here to help you navigate the re-build process. For a clear roadmap that outlines the essential steps ahead please download our Project Flow Chart here.
Heitler Houstoun Architects 