Home / Disasters and Accidents / Architect Builds Hope After LA Wildfires
Architect Builds Hope After LA Wildfires
5 Dec, 2025
Summary
- LA fires destroyed over 16,000 buildings in January 2025.
- Architect Shigeru Ban designs low-cost housing for disaster victims.
- Ban founded Voluntary Architects' Network for global relief efforts.
Two catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles in January 2025, the Palisades and Eaton fires, razed over 16,000 buildings and displaced tens of thousands. While media focused on celebrity homes, the fires also devastated lower-income areas like Altadena, exacerbating insurance challenges for residents. Architect Shigeru Ban, a humanitarian and educator, became involved through his NGO, the Voluntary Architects' Network (VAN).
Ban's response included designing prototype housing inspired by his previous work in Turkey and Hawaii. This effort, supported by students from SCI-Arc, aims to help residents return home swiftly. Ban reflects that while grand structures inspire, humanitarian work using architectural skills for everyday people, especially disaster victims, is more impactful and a professional obligation.
His commitment to disaster relief began in 1994 with cardboard tube shelters for Rwandan refugees, addressing deforestation and material scarcity issues. This led to the establishment of VAN, which has since completed over 65 relief projects worldwide, including ongoing support for Ukrainian refugees and rebuilding efforts in Maui.
