Los Angeles is in the midst of a profound transformation—one grounded in resilience, design, and a reimagining of how communities rebuild after disaster. This year’s “Rebuild LA & Design Trends Showcase” and the West Edge Design Fair brought together builders, architects, fire-defense innovators, designers, and artists across California, all converging on one question: What does it look like to build the future of home, safety, and culture in a fire-prone, design-driven state? For high-risk communities like Malibu and the Palisades, where rebuilding continues at an accelerated pace, the events offered a glimpse into the new materials, technologies, and aesthetics shaping California’s next chapter.
A defining thread across the gatherings was the Palisades’ role as a living case study for next-generation resilience. With homes currently under redevelopment, architects and builders are exploring new fire-resistant materials, defensible space technologies, sustainable product systems, and insurance strategies that better support homeowners in the Wildland Urban Interface. As May Sung, Founder & Partner of SUBU Design Architecture and a member of Team Palisades noted, “Rebuilding after devastation isn’t just about putting homes back on foundations - it’s about rebuilding confidence, community, and a sense of safety. The Palisades has become a proving ground for smarter, stronger, future-focused design. We’re not restoring what was lost; we’re creating what should have always existed.”
That future-focused approach was evident in conversations with companies like Monolith, whose advanced construction polyurethane ICF (Insulated concrete forms) technology pairs high-U-value concrete with high-R-value foam to achieve dramatically increased efficiency and a Rank 1 fire rating capable of withstanding flames over 2,000 degrees for more than three hours. Their materials are engineered not only for fire, but also for earthquakes, tornadoes, and extreme weather offering a new frontier in durable, high-performance residential construction. Calstate Fire Defenese showcased its autonomous state-of-the-art wildfire fire and ember defense system, which operates independently of public utilities and can activate through heat sensors, solar-backed batteries, and GPS data. With its origins rooted in Australian building codes, the system brings a new level of confidence to homeowners seeking defensible, insurable structures in fire zones.
Fleetwood Windows & Doors, a 61-year-old manufacturer of sustainable window and door systems, highlighted non-combustible, fully recyclable products that meet WUI codes when paired with tempered glass and include a lifetime warranty that transfers across owners. These performance-grade systems speak to a growing demand for durability, environmental responsibility, and aesthetic quality all at once.
The West Edge Design Fair broadened the conversation from resilience to lifestyle, luxury, and craftsmanship. One standout was the NordicTrack Ultra 1, a $15,000 high-design treadmill crafted with architectural-grade wood details, a streamlined lever interface, and immersive terrain-responsive technology that automatically adjusts incline to match on-screen workouts. The model signals a shift toward elevated, designer-forward fitness equipment increasingly seen in luxury homes and boutique hotels. At the other end of the home experience spectrum, Qoldfusion showcased a striking walk-in refrigerator engineered for custom homes. Featuring commercial-grade technology adapted for residential use, the unit uses an air-dam system to keep cold air contained without requiring a drain—merging chef-level performance with high-end home design.
Other luxury design innovators further enriched the weekend’s narrative. Fireclay Tile, a vertically integrated California tile and bath company celebrating 40 years, launched a new collection featuring ceramic knobs, faucets, and showers. Poppy, an independent wallpaper and textile studio, demonstrated the rising demand for natural fibers and hand-printed surfaces, with early inquiries already emerging from Palisades homeowners. Eilersen, a century-old Danish furniture house, showcased its endlessly reconfigurable modular sofas, while California Design Living highlighted custom, hand-made rugs from an 83-year family legacy.
Art and culture also played a central role with James Lostlen, a fourth-generation stone artist from Joshua Tree whose sculptural works reveal the natural beauty and integrity of Mojave Desert rock. His practice hollowing the center to contrast weathered exteriors with polished interiors, mirrors the symbolic process of rebuilding: honoring what was, revealing what can be. In Little Tokyo, conversations with a three-partner art collective sparked ideas around revitalizing Santa Monica’s Bergamot Station through First Thursday gallery activations, artist workshops, and potential collaborations with KCRW aimed at reinvigorating public engagement with the arts district.
Throughout both events, one theme resonated deeply: rebuilding is no longer a reactive process - it is a strategic, forward-looking collaboration between designers, builders, innovators, insurers, and community voices. The convergence of fire-resilient materials, sustainable design practices, luxury home innovations, and local artistic expression reflects a broader shift toward public-private partnerships that anchor resilience in both physical structures and cultural identity. As Los Angeles continues to confront fire risk, climate pressure, and evolving community needs, the innovations showcased at Rebuild LA and West Edge demonstrate a powerful new chapter - one where design protects, inspires, and rebuilds with purpose.
By Michelle Edgar, Special to the Daily Press