Rebuilding With Care

Today marks one year since the Eaton and Palisades fires. This tragedy still feels very close for many of us in Los Angeles. The loss was personal as homes, histories, and a sense of safety and security were taken in a matter of hours. And for those who were impacted, the work of rebuilding has been anything but linear.

Over the past year, Lakaynan has stepped into work that feels both sobering and deeply aligned with why this studio exists. We’ve partnered with an outstanding licensed general contractor and his team who are committed to rebuilding Altadena with integrity, ensuring that families who lost their homes are not also forced to lose their land or their future there. 

Within this partnership, Lakaynan operates as a design liaison, serving as a bridge between homeowners, architects, and the build team. Much of my work has been rooted in listening. Sitting with clients as they articulate what was lost, what must be honored, and what they want to do differently this time. Translating lifestyle needs, emotional priorities, and long-term vision into design decisions that are practical, thoughtful, and deeply human.

This chapter feels full circle for me.

Earlier in my career, I often worked with clients after the fact. Helping “builder grade” homes feel personal once the major decisions had already been made. That work taught me where compromises tend to show up, where budgets get tight, and where people later wish they had slowed down or asked better questions. Now, being invited into the process earlier, during planning and material selection, means I can help clients avoid many of those common pitfalls altogether.

As Lakaynan grows, there are tangible signs of momentum ahead: laying roots with our first dedicated studio space, preparing to hire our first full-time team members, and continuing to refine how we show up as partners in the build process.

Rebuilding is sacred work. It requires patience, clarity, and a deep respect for the lives being reshaped within the walls we help create. On this anniversary, I hold that truth closely, and carry it forward into everything Lakaynan is becoming.