eames house, getty villa and richard neutra case study home at risk amid los angeles wildfires

Architectural gems affected by los angeles wildfires

Wildfires have ravaged Los Angeles, US destroying hundreds of homes and affecting architectural gems, including the Eames House and the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades. The fires are located in Eaton (0 percent contained), Hurst (37 percent contained), Lidia (75 percent contained), Kenneth (35 percent contained), Sunset (contained), and Palisades (6 percent contained), with reports of containment as of January 10th. Amidst the Los Angeles wildfires, buildings constructed by renowned architects are still at risk. On an Instagram story, the Eames Foundation announces that, as of 2pm on January 9th, the Case Study House 8 remains under threat while unharmed by the wildfires in the Pacific Palisades.

They’re monitoring the situation and have taken precautions to protect the historic site, which was built in 1949. Until further notice, any visitation to the Eames is canceled. The Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades has also been affected by the Los Angeles wildfires and remains at risk. In a statement released by Getty President and CEO Katherine E. Fleming, the trees and vegetation on the property have burned, but the structures of Getty Villa are intact and unaffected. The museum galleries and library archives were protected from smoke using their in-house air handling system, and the president says that the double-walled construction of the galleries protects the collection.

photo from Palisades wildfires that started in Los Angeles on January 7th | image courtesy of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Villa aurora and thomas mann house in danger zone

Some Case Study Houses are also at risk amidst the wildfires in Los Angeles, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as well as the Los Angeles Fire Department, have been containing the flames since their eruption on Tuesday, January 7th. These include the Bailey House (No. 20) by Richard Neutra, the Entenza House (No. 9) by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, and the West House (No. 18) by Rodney Walker. While there’s no official news yet on the homes’ situation, these houses are still at risk in addition to the ones located near the affected areas, including Altadena, Pasadena, and La Cañada Flintridge. The former house of Nobel Prize laureate Thomas Mann and the historic Villa Aurora have also been impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles.

In a statement by the residencies, parts of the villa have withstood the wildfires, while the Thomas Mann House, on the other hand, remains undamaged. Both buildings are still in the danger zone, and the residencies team has shared that a comprehensive evaluation of the damage is underway. The Gladstones Restaurant, which was set to be renovated by Frank Gehry and Wolfgang Puck, has also been impacted by the wildfires. In an Instagram post, the team shares that while affected, the establishment is not burned down. In other news, other historic architectural sites have been engulfed by the wildfires, including Charles Moore’s Palisades Branch Library in Pacific Palisades and the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center in Eaton.

photo from Palisades wildfires that started in Los Angeles on January 7th | image courtesy of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Ray Kappe’s Keeler House engulfed in los angeles wildfires

The non-profit organization Los Angeles Conservancy has released a partial list of historic architectural gems lost in the Los Angeles wildfires. It includes Ray Kappe’s Keeler House (1991) in Pacific Palisades, the Robert Bridges House on Sunset Boulevard, as well as the Andrew McNally House (opened in 1887) and the Zane Grey Estate (1907) in Altadena. The Case Study House no. 22, known as the Stahl House, is safe from the fires, according to the website. The tours have been cancelled due to the high winds and fires until further notice.

This is a developing story that designboom continues to update. The last update is made on January 13th, 2025.

Eames House remains under threat while unharmed by the wildfires in the Pacific Palisades | image courtesy of the Eames Foundation

inside the (Eames) the Case Study House 8, built in 1949

inside the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades | image courtesy of Getty Villa

Thomas Mann House remains undamaged | image courtesy of Villa Aurora Thomas Mann House

parts of the Villa Aurora have withstood the wildfires | image courtesy of Villa Aurora Thomas Mann House

project info:

name: Los Angeles Wildfires

architecture: Eames House, Getty Villa, Bailey House, Entenza House, West House, Villa Aurora, Thomas Mann House, Gladstones Restaurant, Charles Moore’s Palisades Branch Library, Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center

live updates on the wildfire: here, here | @losangelesfiredepartment, @calfire