Cities Aren't Supposed To Burn Like This Anymore—Especially Lahaina

Add high winds—gusts of up to 80 miles per hour drove the flames a mile a minute across Lahaina—and all it takes is a single spark to ignite a fast-moving blaze. "There's no firefighting capabilities for structure-to-structure urban fire in winds like that," says Cova. "Once one structure catches on fire, if the wind's blowing like that, it becomes like a blowtorch against the neighboring home."

These winds across Maui were dry as well, helping to suck the remaining moisture out of vegetation to turn it into fuel. That fuel seems to have been invasive grasses that European colonizers brought when they established plantations. When rains are plentiful, these plants grow like mad, then easily dry out once the rain stops. 

"Those fire-prone invasive species fill in any gaps anywhere else—roadsides, in between communities, in between people's homes, all over the place," Elizabeth Pickett, co-executive director of the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, told WIRED last week. "At this point, 26 percent of our state is covered in these fire-prone grasses." 

Not only has much of Maui been in a drought, but it's also at the height of its dry season, so these plants have turned to tinder. "Feral landscapes fuel fires," says Pyne. "Hot, dry, and windy, with lots of fuel, is the formula for big fires. And that's what you've got here."

In Hawaii, as in places along the West Coast, more and more people have been moving into the danger zone: the wildland-urban interface, or WUI. This is where nature butts up against human settlements or even intermingles with them. That's why Paradise burned so quickly and thoroughly, destroying 19,000 structures, as the fire sped through pine needles and other dry leaves piled up around town. In Maui, the invasive grass acts as an accelerant. "Virtually every community in Hawaii is on a wildland-urban interface," Pickett continued. "So we're just like a WUI state, because we have developments that are all adjacent to wildland areas or surrounded by wildland areas."

We don't have to discover the vaccine against wildfires in such an interface—it's already known. Massive urban fires waned in the 20th century because of better building codes, and infrastructure is still important today. When high winds kick up, they jostle power lines and can spark fires. Electrical equipment malfunctions were the confirmed causes of the Camp and Tubbs fires, among other recent blazes. While officials are still investigating what ignited the wildfire that consumed Lahaina, there's speculation that it was also electrical wires. While it's expensive to bury power lines, such an investment could go a long way toward saving structures and human lives.

And in the modern day, another big factor is managing potential fuels: In places like California, that means clearing dead brush. In Hawaii, it's those invasive grasses. Because humans are such an unpredictable X factor in sparking fires—with a wayward firework or cigarette—it's paramount that when people make mistakes, there's less fuel to burn.

$3.3 Million Homes In California

Santa Monica$3.295 MillionA renovated 1940 cottage with two bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.1-acre lot

Rustic Canyon is a quiet Santa Monica enclave known for its locally owned restaurants and proximity to the beach. This house is across the street from Rustic Coffee, a cafe housed in a converted Airstream trailer, and down the block from Giorgio Baldi, an Italian restaurant that has been in business since 1990.

The property is half a mile from the Eames Foundation, a design museum housed in the former home of Charles and Ray Eames, and from the Annenberg Community Beach House, a public facility on the site of an estate designed by Julia Morgan. Downtown Santa Monica is about 10 minutes away. Malibu is a half-hour drive along Pacific Coast Highway.

Size: 1,223 square feet

Price per square foot: $2,694

Indoors: This house sits behind a white fence lined with mature landscaping. A gate opens into a courtyard with a wood walkway that leads to the Dutch-door entrance.

The open living area beyond has light hardwood floors, cream-colored wood walls and ceilings, and furnishings by the fashion and lifestyle designer Jenni Kayne, which are available to buy.

The kitchen, on the right side of the space, has a white enamel Aga range, open shelving and custom cabinets with integrated appliances. The adjacent dining area has a built-in banquette surrounded by windows overlooking the front courtyard. A powder room and a laundry room are also off the kitchen.

The second floor, reached by a staircase in the living area, is configured as one large primary suite, with French doors that open to a street-facing balcony. A windowed bench is built into the en suite bathroom, which has a walk-in shower.

The other bedroom is on the ground floor, with an en suite bathroom and its own exterior entrance.

Outdoor space: The second-floor balcony is surrounded by a white-painted wood railing, and is big enough to hold chairs and a small table. The front courtyard includes a hot tub and space for separate sitting and dining areas; the landscaping that surrounds it creates a sense of privacy.

Taxes: $41,184 (estimated)

Contact: Richard Ehrlich, Carolwood Estates, 310-968-8881; richardehrlich.Com

Santa Barbara$3.25 MillionA 1924 Spanish Colonial Revival house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, on a 0.7-acre lot

This house was designated a Structure of Merit by the city's Historic Landmarks Commission, which noted that many of its original interior and exterior features have remained intact for nearly a century. The property is in Lower Riviera, a neighborhood with views of the ocean and the mountains. Two public parks are nearby, and the Santa Barbara Bowl, an open-air amphitheater, is less than five minutes away by car.

Stearns Wharf, a pier with restaurants and shops, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History are about 15 minutes away. Driving south to Los Angeles takes about two hours; Ojai is about an hour inland.

Size: 2,323 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,399

Indoors: The house is set back from the street, behind hedges and a low rock wall. A paved path leads to the arched front door, which opens into a foyer.

The living room beyond has high, beamed ceilings; a fireplace next to an alcove with built-in shelving; and French doors that open to the long, covered balcony at the front of the house, which offers ocean views and functions as an extension of the indoor space.

The dining room, off one side of the living area, has another fireplace and more doors opening to the balcony. It also has direct access to a bright kitchen with white cabinetry and black-and-white checkerboard floors, which extend into the breakfast room and laundry room.

Three bedrooms are off a hallway extending from the foyer. The primary suite, closest to the living room, has a walk-in closet, a view of the grounds and a bathroom with a combined tub and shower. The other two bedrooms, across the hall, are connected by a full bathroom.

The fourth bedroom, off the kitchen, has an en suite bathroom.

Outdoor space: The small tile patio behind the house has enough space to hold a table and a grill. The lot, which is considered large for the neighborhood, has a generous, relatively flat backyard shaded by mature trees. The attached garage has two parking spots.

Taxes: $40,620 (estimated)

Contact: Kat Hitchcock, Hitchcock and Associates, Compass, 805-705-4485; revivalontheriv.Com

Mendocino$3.295 MillionA three-building complex that includes a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom 2023 house; a 2005 mixed-use building with a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment and leased office space with a half-bathroom; and a guest cottage with a full bathroom

This property is in downtown Mendocino, a few blocks from coffee shops, a hardware store, a bar and a grocery store. Mendocino Art Center, which has a rotation of artists-in-residence and holds public exhibitions, is also nearby, as is Mendocino Center for Circus Arts, which offers classes in aerial acrobatics and trapeze.

Mendocino Headlands State Park, with its rocky cliffs and stunning ocean views, is less than a mile away. Portuguese Beach is about five minutes away by car. Driving to San Francisco takes about three and a half hours. Sacramento is a four-hour drive.

Size: 4,600 square feet

Price per square foot: $716

Indoors: A low, white picket fence encloses the property, and a brick path connects the three buildings.

The front door to the main house opens into a foyer with wide-plank wood floors and a stairway to the second level. The wood floors continue into the open living area, which is surrounded by windows overlooking the deck, with views of the ocean in the distance.

The kitchen, on one side of the space, has white cabinetry; a center island with a porcelain farmhouse-style sink; and white appliances with goldtone hardware. The adjacent dining area sits next to a glass door that opens to the deck.

A windowed laundry room with aside-by-side washer and dryer is off the kitchen and a powder room is next door.

One bedroom suite is on this level, off the foyer. The bedroom overlooks the front courtyard; the bathroom has a walk-in shower and white subway-tile lining the walls.

The primary suite, on the second floor, has a private balcony facing the ocean and a bathroom with a double vanity and a walk-in shower.

The mustard-colored cottage next to the main house has a full bathroom and a kitchenette.

The red barn-style building behind the main house has a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment upstairs. The lower level is leased office space.

Outdoor space: The wood deck behind the main house steps down to a gravel patio enclosed by white fencing. This patio and the one in front of the house offer ample space for dining and entertaining.

Taxes: $42,504 (estimated)

Contact: Sarah Schoeneman, Mendo Sotheby's International Realty, 510-418-0070; sothebysrealty.Com

For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here.

Celebrating The Best Of Indo Pacific Design For 2023 - INDE.Awards Winners Are Revealed!

The INDE.Awards is an annual compilation of the Indo Pacific's leading talents across architecture and design. It captures outstanding projects, people and products and creates a shortlist that is unique in its geographical scope and its reflection of how a region approaches the art of placemaking. For 2023, we have seen a cohort that reflects the diversity of the Indo Pacific, with entires that are responding to the social and environmental challenges we all face with ingenuity and innovation through design.

On the evening of Thursday August 10th, we celebrated these achievements at a VIP Gala Event at the Art Gallery of NSW and with a live international broadcast. Entrants from across the region gathered as the honourable mentions and winners of the 2023 INDE.Awards were announced and we celebrated the achievements they have made. Along with the acknowledgment of their work, winners received a uniquely crafted trophy created by INDE partner Tilt Industrial Design.  

The INDE team would like to extend our congratulations to all shortlisted and awarded entries of this year's program, to our esteemed Jury who assessed the immense entry pool and to all of our event partners whose regional design leadership helps to drive the INDEs forward.

While this marks the end of the 2023 INDE.Awards, momentum around Indo Pacific design is building, with our region showing leadership and courage to push design boundaries and offer holistic and thoughtful spatial solutions. Entries for the 2024 awards will open in November!

. Best of the Best Proudly partnered by Zenith . Winner Nightingale VillageArchitecture architecture, Austin Maynard Architects, Breathe, Clare Cousins Architects, Hayball and Kennedy NolanAustralia Image by Tom Ross . The Building Proudly Partnered by Kaolin . Winner University of Queensland Cricket Club Maintenance ShedLineburg Wang with Steve Hunt ArchitectAustralia Image by David Chatfield

The University of Queensland Cricket Club Maintenance Shed celebrates cost efficiencies by utilising standard grey blocks as both structure and decoration. Located on the university campus, it takes the form of an ambiguous landscape wall rather than a typical utility shed. The building incorporates passive ventilation for toilets and tractors, showcasing the versatility of blockwork.

The design brief aimed to provide storage and amenities for the UQ Maintenance team and the Cricket Club. Due to rising construction costs and material supply constraints, standard grey blocks were chosen. The project reimagined the use of breezeblock walls, integrating decorative screens seamlessly into the blockwork structure.

This project demonstrates a progressive approach to architecture by navigating budgetary constraints while maintaining design integrity. Through close collaboration with the builder, the design was refined to meet client expectations and cost considerations.

Honourable Mention House in ContoursPark + AssociatesThailand Image by Derek Swalwell Click here for the 2023 The Building Shortlist . The Multi-Residential Building Proudly partnered by Bosch . Winner Nightingale VillageArchitecture architecture, Austin Maynard Architects, Breathe, Clare Cousins Architects, Hayball and Kennedy NolanAustralia Image by Tom Ross

A landmark collaborative project, Nightingale Village is a zero-gas, urban residential precinct comprising six distinctive buildings, each designed by six different leading architecture practices. Every building was designed according to the social, environmental and financial sustainability principles of Nightingale Housing, that is, creating homes for people, not profit.

Nightingale Village comprises 203 homes, with eight commercial tenancies at street level. The area is well-serviced by public transport, enabling the architects to eschew private car parks, instead, including a shared area for 14 spaces. The cul-de-sac where five of the buildings' main entrances are located is consequently a pedestrian-friendly and landscaped zone.

The resulting precinct is a testament to the power of collaboration that enables the designs to achieve a high degree of environmental sustainability across the precinct.

Honourable Mention Ferrars & YorkHIP V. HYPE with Six Degrees ArchitectsAustralia Image by Tess Kelly Click here for the 2023 The Multi-Residential Building Shortlist . The Living Space Proudly partnered by Gaggenau . Winner 19 Waterloo StreetSJBAustralia Image by Anson Smart

With a footprint of 30-square-metres and a Jacques Tati-esque façade of recycled and broken brick, this house engages with the street through arrangement and geometry of openings. Ultimately, it's about sustainability, doing more with less, reusing a site and materials.

The project is at its core a reuse project and is intended as a case study project with a small footprint, restrained budget and a high level of detailing. The garden in the bathroom and the scale of the built-in lounge are both highlights. This is a density designed well, providing both respite and engagement. Of note is the incredible brickwork, raw, reused, and delightful.

Honourable Mention FLOCKHILL HomesteadWarren and MahoneyAotearoa (New Zealand) Image by Barry Tobin Click here for the 2023 The Living Space Shortlist . The Work Space Proudly partnered by MillerKnoll . Winner Locomotive WorkshopSissons Architects with Curio Projects, Buchan and Mirvac DesignAustralia Image by Brett Boardman

Opened in 1871, the Locomotive Workshops were dedicated to the servicing and manufacturing of locomotive and rolling stock to aid the expansion of the Australian railway network. The design intent of the development of the project was to remove all existing unsympathetic elements and provide a clear interpretation and expression of the industrial style and significant heritage fabric, including the existing moveable heritage collection.

The work spaces celebrate the building's origins delineating old and new. The interior has been opened up to exploit the original spaces and structures, with the opportunity to create state of the art collaborative work spaces for a wide variety of high technology tenants and users.

Honourable Mention Dyson Global HQ, SingaporeM. Moser AssociatesSingapore Image by Finbarr Fallon Click here for the 2023 The Work Space Shortlist . The Social Space Proudly partnered by Capral . Winner Laizhou BarRooMooChina Image by Wen Studio

Laizhou Bar is the new brand experience site for China's most extensive whisky distillery, Bacchus.

The overall space planning of Laizhou Bar comprises a whisky tasting area, VIP room, bar area, kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor seating area. The site was assembled using 6,000 pieces of discarded wooden barrels dismantled from the whiskey barrels of the distillery.

The double-ring structure on the top of the indoor tasting and bar areas forms an infinite visual impression, echoing the distillery's green and environmentally friendly whiskey production methods. The dome structure formed by discarded wooden barrel pieces on the top surface highlights the particular function as the centre of the space. In addition, the lighting design of the marquee strengthens the unique flow of natural time extension at night.

Honourable Mention Taoxichuan Hotel, in the Unbound Collection by HyattAIM Architecture with David Chipperfield ArchitectsChina Image by Wen Studio Click here for the 2023 The Social Space Shortlist . The Retail Space Proudly partnered by Zenith . Winner Casa de ZanottaHAS design and researchChina Image by Su Shengliang

Casa de Zanotta is the first Zanotta furniture museum in China that exhibits the famous Italian furniture brand products.

As a furniture museum, Casa de Zanotta is a perfect interpretation of a multi-functional space. It breaks the limitations of traditional furniture showrooms and combines functions with micro-libraries, art exhibitions, public events and designer salons. The result of the project is similar to the unique Anhui Stone Forest; it provides an open breathing space for a high-density concrete jungle and offers a place for visitors to cultivate their souls through the transformation of natural elements.

Honourable Mention Mimco - Flagship StoreStudio DohertyAustralia Image by Timothy Kaye Click here for the 2023 The Retail Space Shortlist  . The Learning Space Proudly partnered by Autex Acoustics . Winner  Wurun Senior CampusGHDWoodhead and GrimshawAustralia Image by Trevor Mein

Wurun Senior Campus is a new, highly sustainable vertical building accommodating senior students from Collingwood College and Fitzroy High School. It provides a flexible, welcoming, tertiary level environment that fosters agency, choice and interdisciplinary learning. The building form reimagines the multi-level commercial vernacular, stepping up to create a series of landscaped outdoor terraces. Each level connects directly to the interior learning environment to leverage the diverse pedagogy, community connectivity and wellbeing benefits of natural light, greenery, views, and recreation spaces.

Honourable Mention Center for Banking StudiesIX ArchitectsCambodia Image by IX Architects Click here for the 2022 The Learning Space Shortlist  . The Health & Wellbeing Space Proudly partnered by CPD Live . Winner  Victorian Heart HospitalConrad Gargett and WardleAustralia Image by Peter Bennetts

The Victorian Heart Hospital (VHH) is the southern hemisphere's first dedicated cardiac hospital, providing a range of world-class clinical cardiology services, research and education. The architecture, interiors, facility and clinical planning consider the impact of the built environment on the health and wellness of users and was guided by strong clinical and patient voices. This is a valuable place within the university campus and wider community with its capacity to save and change lives.

A complete journey has been embedded into the VHH, from admission to discharge. The design contributes to the wellbeing of all and aids patient recovery through its spatial qualities, amenity and materiality.

Honourable Mention Metung Hot Springs Stage 1Splinter Society ArchitectureAustralia Image by Sharyn Cairns Click here for the 2023 The Health & Wellbeing Space Shortlist  . The Interior Space Proudly partnered by Technogym . Winner  Highlands HouseLuke Moloney ArchitectureAustralia Image by Tom Ferguson

Highlands House is a striking hilltop residence featuring barn-like forms connected by a sculptural art gallery. Inspired by quintessential industrial barns, this home sits strong in the landscape with its concrete materiality. After careful consideration and over a decade of planning, the house has been designed to respond harmoniously to the surrounding landscape.

The house consists of three pavilions, serving distinct purposes: living space, the owner's bedroom suite, and garage plus guest suite. The design utilises precast concrete panels, creating a consistent backdrop that emphasises art and views. Open-plan spaces vary in ceiling height to manage the expansive layout.

Honourable Mention Refinery HouseCarrAustralia Image by Timothy Kaye Click here for the 2023 The Interior Space Shortlist  . The Influencer Proudly partnered by k5 Furniture . Winner  Angsila Oyster Scaffolding PavilionChat Architects with Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Studio at International Program in Design and Architecture (INDA), Chulalongkorn UniversityThailand Image by W Workspace

The historic coastal fishing village of Angsila in Thailand was once a thriving small-scale fishing town. However over the past three years ocean pollution, market disruption and a dwindling local workforce has left the population struggling to sustain their way of life.

The Angsila Oyster Scaffolding Pavilion rises as a solution to this: aiming to raise awareness and appreciation of the historic coastal village and revitalise the local economy through a "sea-to-table" dining experience. The pavilion acts as a floating restaurant, allowing local fishermen to bring small groups of visitors from shore to the pavilion where they can select their own oysters in the ocean and prepared fresh to eat.

The structure itself hybridises the traditional bamboo scaffolding used for oyster and mussel cultivation. Like these scaffoldings, the pavilion is built entirely by Angsila fishermen, utilising native shallow-ocean bamboo construction techniques that requires no power tools.

Honourable Mention Dairy RoadCraig Tan ArchitectsAustralia Image by U-P Click here for the 2023 The Influencer Shortlist  . The Object Proudly partnered by Careers Indesign . Winner MéneRoss GardamAustralia Image by Haydn Cattach

Méne celebrates our sense of awe of the celestial. The pendant appears as a lunar apparition, floating in mid- air. Crafted with mouth blown glass, the collection reveals the individual and unique texture of subtly illuminated glass. Méne's rippled form is the result of the studio's continual experimentations with traditional optic glass blowing techniques and innovative engineering. The result is a one of a kind glass texture within every luminaire produced. The table lamp's glass elements simply rest on top of each other, allowing the lunar form of the Méne shade to float. Each glass shade is mouth blown in Australia and hand assembled in our Melbourne based studio.

Honourable Mention Kami Recycled Bottle Top Woven ChairReddie FurnitureAustralia, Indonesia Image by Muliadi Utomo Click here for the 2023 The Object Shortlist  . The Photographer (Commercial) Proudly partnered by Image Makers Association . Winner  Nicole EnglandAMP Workplace at QQTAustralia

Nicole England is a Melbourne-based architecture and interiors photographer who has worked with many of the industry's top architects and designers, both in Australia and abroad. She has an intimate understanding of light and form, and a sharp eye for composition. Her photography brings the everyday spaces we inhabit into focus, highlighting the artistry and the beauty that is often overlooked.

Honourable Mention Wison Tungthunya, W WorkspaceMoMAThailand Click here for the 2023 The Photographer (Commercial) Shortlist  . The Photographer (Residential) Proudly partnered by Image Makers Association . Winner  Shannon McGrathEvergreen HouseAustralia

Shannon McGrath has been photographing architecture and interior design works for 25 years. She is commissioned by pre-eminent architects and designers around Australia for her ability to get under the skin of a project, and not only capture its pure essence but also her client's formal design intent. Passionate and professional, Shannon's images are known for their beautiful portrayal of light and form, with a soft realism that celebrates the subject matter.

Honourable Mention Toby ScottHopscotch HouseAustralia   Click here for the 2023 The Photographer (Residential) Shortlist  . The Graduate Proudly partnered by Colorbond . Winner  Sam HodgensUniversity of TasmaniaAustralia

The project is based on two overarching concepts that are extracted from the 18th International Architecture Exhibition: The Laboratory of the Future, the "DE" and "RE" concepts. The "DE" concepts signify efforts to undo, reverse and dismantle, while the "RE" concepts are an effort to recover something that is past or has been lost, to maintain the currency and relevance of something from an older time.

The intervention confronts contemporary architectural practices and the wider development industry perspective in relation to the environment and native plants, as it seeks to imagine landscape as the very place to conceive a project, not just a means to completion.

Focused on collaborative knowledge production, ecological and interdisciplinary research, and pre-colonial understandings of agricultural practices, this program seeks to deconstruct conventional educational structures by providing common spaces for inclusive and participatory learning that will explore more sustainable behaviours towards land use and critical responses to a post-climate world.

Honourable Mention Chan Shu ManUniversity of Hong KongHong Kong Click here for the 2023 The Object Shortlist . The Prodigy Proudly partnered by Milliken . Winner Shruthi Ramakrishna, Jérémie Gaudin, Agnimitra BachiMade In Earth CollectiveArchitecture, Art & Ecology Image courtesy Made In Earth Collective

The study of architecture at the Auroville Earth Institute was the meeting place of Shruthi Ramakrishna, Jérémie Gaudin and Agnimitra Bachi. The trio learnt that to design with earth, you must really know the material and become friends with it.

On returning to India, an eagerness to shape and mould by hand saw the trio travel to Khamir and Hunnarshala in Kutch, Gujarat. Here they worked with communities making crafts and the seed was sown from these experiences to establish their own practice. There was much curiosity to understand how collectives are formed, entrepreneurship thrives and how projects are mounted in ecological architecture.

During this time, they met diverse people working to make the natural building movement a more accessible and desirable alternative. They participated in Design-Build workshops, where architecture came together as a community-led process.  The potential and need of bringing earth into spaces is so relevant in India, and Ramakrishna, Gaudin and Bachi continue to be inspired by this rich geographical and cultural context to create an architecture that is closer to the people and tied to the ecosystems.

Click here for the 2023 The Prodigy Shortlist . The 2023 Luminaries Proudly partnered by Woven Image . Ewan McEoin and Simone LeAmonNational Gallery of VictoriaAustralia Jefa GreenawayGreenaway ArchitectsAustralia Patrick KeaneEnter Projects AsiaThailand Wendy Saunders and Vincent de GraafAIM ArchitectureChina and Belgium . Congratulations to the winners of the INDE.Awards 2023! Thank you to all of our partners and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to celebrate the diverse architecture and design industry in our Indo Pacific region! INDE.Awards will return in 2024, Entries open in November! Catch up on the Digital Gala

---