SCI-Arc’s Erik Ghenoiu on KCRW Reflects on Wildfire Loss and the Future of Rebuilding

One year after the Palisades and Eaton wildfires devastated communities across Southern California, Erik Ghenoiu, architectural historian and faculty member at SCI-Arc, joins Press Play with Madeleine Brand on KCRW to reflect on loss, recovery, and what rebuilding can and should look like in an era of climate crisis.

Ghenoiu, who lost his home in the Eaton Fire, speaks from direct personal experience about the emotional and logistical realities of rebuilding after wildfire. In the episode, he discusses the limits of individual mitigation strategies, the pressures homeowners face in the aftermath of disaster, and the need for collective approaches to resilience that extend beyond single properties.

Drawing on his research and teaching at SCI-Arc, Ghenoiu also addresses how architects, planners, and policymakers can rethink building in fire-prone landscapes. He points to the importance of materials, land-use planning, and long-term policy solutions that support communities rather than displacing them after catastrophe.

The conversation offers a rare perspective that bridges lived experience and architectural research, situating wildfire recovery within broader questions about climate adaptation and the future of Southern California’s built environment.

The episode is essential listening for anyone interested in climate resilience, architecture, and the realities of rebuilding after disaster.

Listen to the full episode on KCRW.