ALTADENA—On Wednesday, May 13th, homeowner James Bicos, architect Edwin Fang of Studio Fang, and Joubert Homes broke ground on The Sculptural Reform — a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath Passive House rising on the Altadena lot where the Eaton Fire destroyed Bicos’s previous home. The ceremony was attended by Anish Saraiya, Director of Altadena Recovery, and approximately a dozen senior LA County officials from planning, permitting, fire, and recovery — a collaboration this project team considers essential to Altadena’s swift road back.
For James Bicos, rebuilding was never in question. His family has been rooted in Altadena for decades, with businesses and community ties that predate most of what the fire took. When it came time to rebuild, he chose to build forward. “Altadena is my home, and my family has been part of this community for more than sixty years,” said James Bicos, Homeowner. “When the fire took my house, I knew I had an opportunity to do it right — something that honored this landscape and would stand for the next sixty years and beyond. With Edwin’s design, Joubert Homes is using cutting-edge techniques to build it to the highest standard.”
Designed by Edwin Fang of Studio Fang, The Sculptural Reform features a bold high-modern massing oriented to capture sweeping views from downtown Los Angeles to the Palos Verdes coast. Pre-charred shou sugi ban cladding provides fire resilience and a striking aesthetic rooted in the site’s history. The open plan includes an elevator for permanent accessibility. The project received three AIA Pasadena & Foothill design awards — a rare distinction for a home still under construction. “Every decision was made with two things in mind: the landscape and the people,” remarked Edwin Fang, Architect and Principal, Studio Fang. “We wanted this home to belong here, and to give James and his family absolute confidence that it was built to endure. The Passive House certification is central to that promise.”
Built to achieve Passive House certification by Joubert Homes — a PHI and Phius-certified builder — The Sculptural Reform will be 10 to 20 times more airtight than a conventional home. The sealed envelope eliminates the primary pathway of wildfire ignition: embers penetrating gaps in the structure. It also blocks toxic smoke infiltration, a threat that rendered many Altadena-area homes uninhabitable even when the structure itself survived. Advanced air filtration and multi-pane tempered windows complete a home designed to perform when conditions outside become dangerous — and to use up to 90% less energy year-round. “Passive House is not just an energy story — it’s a resilience story,” said Chuck Bower, Co-Founder Joubert Homes. “The same airtight envelope that makes these homes 90% more efficient makes them profoundly more resistant to ember and smoke threats. We believe every home rebuilt in Altadena should be held to this standard.”
The groundbreaking also served as a public thank-you to the LA County staff who helped make it possible: the planners, permit officers, fire department personnel, inspectors, and recovery coordinators who collectively accelerated the approval process for fire victims across the region. “Getting here required genuine partnership from the County. The staff we worked with navigated an unprecedented volume of recovery applications with care and professionalism. We wanted to mark that publicly. — Darin Dusan, Joubert Homes”
About Joubert Homes
Joubert Homes is a certified Passive House builder using next-generation construction and design to build healthy, high-performance homes. Joubert’s projects embody the future of housing: homes that are safer in the face of wildfires, healthier in terms of air quality, dramatically more efficient with energy, quieter and more comfortable, and built with forward-thinking techniques that ensure long-term performance. For more information, visit www.jouberthomes.com.
About Studio Fang
Studio Fang is a boutique architecture firm focusing on High Intention, High Design, and High-Performance projects. Studio Fang’s diverse portfolio spans from single-family homes to educational facilities and now focuses on integrating this multifaceted experience with a strong commitment to sustainability. Utilizing cutting-edge technology and principles like Passive House, the firm specializes in a thoughtful and balanced synthesis of design, technology, and environmental responsibility. For more information, visit www.studiogfangla.com.
