In the wake of the devastating wildfires that swept through Los Angeles in January 2025, architects and design innovators are rethinking how resilient, sustainable housing can be developed in vulnerable communities. Spearheading this effort is Case Study: Adapt (CSA), a nonprofit initiative founded by Leo Seigal, CEO of interior design consultancy The Expert, and entrepreneur Dustin Bramell, whose own midcentury home in the Pacific Palisades was destroyed in the fires.
CSA draws inspiration from the historic Case Study program, which revolutionized post-World War II modern housing by pairing visionary architects with experimental residential projects. The new program focuses on helping homeowners rebuild with design principles centered on modest scale, energy efficiency, climate resiliency, and thoughtful construction practices.
Ten of Los Angeles’ leading residential architecture firms, including Marmol Radziner, Johnston Marklee, Assembledge+, and Woods + Dangaran, have been enlisted to design distinctive, forward-looking homes for communities hardest hit by the fires, notably Pacific Palisades and Altadena. These projects aim not only to restore homes but also to redefine resilient, climate-conscious living in the 21st century.
Principals from the participating firms convened in March at Marmol Radziner’s Santa Monica offices to refine the mandate and discuss the program’s ambitions. Preservation experts and photographers were also present to document the initiative, evoking the legacy of Julius Shulman and the original Case Study program. The collaborative effort underscores a commitment to architecture that is both innovative and human-centered, turning tragedy into an opportunity for long-term community resilience.
CSA represents a new model for architecture-driven recovery—one that prioritizes design excellence, sustainability, and adaptive thinking, demonstrating that rebuilding after disaster can be as much about reimagining the future as restoring the past.
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