Malibu architect uses expertise to help build stronger homes in wake of Palisades Fire

One year after the Palisades Fire leveled entire neighborhoods and destroyed thousands of homes, one Malibu resident is stepping up to help rebuild his community with his architectural expertise. 

Abe Roy, with Design Equity, can't help but reflect on how far his community has come since the destruction began on Jan. 7, 2025. His home was one of the few that withstood the flames last year, but he says that his own survival came with a sense of responsibility. 

"You know, it was perhaps spared for me to help rebuild the community," Roy said. 

What might look like an ordinary home build to many is a multilayered defense system in Roy's eyes. His architectural knowledge has come into play as he helps build stronger and fire-hardened homes. 

His newer designs have eliminated attics and crawlspaces and implemented the placement of defensible landscaping. He says each choice is part of a broader strategy that he hopes becomes the new normal. 

"We approach it starting with prevention," Roy said. "We don't have too many nooks and crannies, we don't have places where embers can get trapped."

After that, his designs shift to what he calls "Mitigation Mode," a multi-layered stucco system. 

"So, you have the metal sheet, then you have the scratch coat, and on top of the brown coat, you have a fire-resistant coat which can withstand up to about 2200 degrees Fahrenheit," Roy said. 

He said that the roof of the home is also fire-hardened, or a "cool roof."

"It's a triple-layer roof, which is designed not only to be noncombustible, but also to be self-extinguishing the fire," Roy said. "So, if there's an ember-cast, it'll actually douse out the ember."

Some of the homes also come with a unique indoor and outdoor sprinkler system. 

"Since this house has a swimming pool, we're going to connect the external sprinkler system with the pump, and with heat sensor, so if and when the smoke and fire approaches, it's going to pull water from the swimming pool and not be dependent on the city system," Roy said. 

He's currently working with dozens of families who lost their homes in January, helping them navigate through the extensive designs and permits necessary to rebuild, as well as the emotional weight of the process.