We are saddened by the losses that our friends and clients have experienced as a result of the 2025 fires, and we’re humbled to undertake a small part in the rebuilding process.

While we will continue to help individual clients and to design site-specific homes built through conventional means, we are eager to explore new and innovative ways to design and build. In that spirit, we are working on “standard plan” projects that can be approved more quickly, built more efficiently and serve more people.

We feel privileged to be participating in the Case Study 2.0 Program, which provides a variety of standard plan designs, including our single-story Nou House, which is displayed here. We are also in the process of designing a two-story standard-plan house.

In addition to helping our individual clients and developing standard plan designs, we have been working diligently with people in government, volunteer organizations and private companies to ensure that the process for rebuilding -- including code application and permitting – is one in which individuals and families are treated fairly and that all residents of the fire-damaged areas benefit from the rebuilding process.

Please reach out to us if you have any questions about rebuilding after the fires or if you are interested in the possibility of working with us.

The Nou House is a single-story dwelling designed for the modern age. Offered as a ‘Standard Plan’ home and provided at a discounted architectural fee, it is especially suited to respond to the need for new, fire-resistant housing in the wake of the 2025 Southern California fires. The Nou House design emphasizes quality and adaptability over size and is meant to replace similar-size homes lost in the fires and to provide a more modestly-sized home for those who prefer one.

The footprint of the house is compact, allowing it to fit on most single-family parcels, including lots as narrow as 40-feet. The design is adaptable to include either an attached or detached garage, allowing it to work on both interior and corner lots. The layout can also be mirrored to provide optimal privacy, views and solar orientation.

Using modular components, both inside and out, the Nou House is designed to be built quickly and affordably. The overall design, form and size of the house is adaptable to various budgets and can easily be made smaller or larger to suit individual needs.

Designed as a site-built house made with prefabricated components, the house bridges the gap between time-consuming custom-built homes and factory-built dwellings that are limited in size and configuration.