USC Architecture students propose wildfire-adaptive housing for Pacific Palisades
A housing initiative designed for Pacific Palisades that responds to wildfire hazards is one of ten student projects recognized in an exhibition at the USC School of Architecture, as reported by Dezeen on July 9, 2026. Titled 'Swarm Form' and created by Reed Wilson, this project employs swarm intelligence to tackle environmental challenges following the 2025 Pacific Palisades fires. Additional notable projects include 'The Destruction Protocol' by Aliya Formeloza, 'Place and Principle: Designing BlackSpace' by Kianna Armstrong, 'Subversive' by AJ Zhang, 'Cracking for Ferality' by Joseph Monticciolo, 'This Counts Too' by Allie Vasquez, 'Thick Thresholds' by Anjing Tang, 'Up Over Out' by Ryan Li, 'Amphibious Futures' by Garett Lee, and 'Forms, Lost + Found' by Suylen De La Rosa. The exhibition highlights USC Architecture's commitment to addressing pressing issues in the built environment.
Key facts
- USC School of Architecture featured ten award-winning student projects in a Dezeen school show published July 9, 2026.
- Reed Wilson's 'Swarm Form' proposes wildfire-adaptive housing for Pacific Palisades using swarm intelligence.
- The 2025 Pacific Palisades fires prompted the 'Swarm Form' project.
- Aliya Formeloza's 'The Destruction Protocol' won the Robert Allen Rogaff Architectural Delineation award.
- Kianna Armstrong's 'Place and Principle' won the Thomas Byerts Social and Community Engagement award.
- Joseph Monticciolo's 'Cracking for Ferality' won the AIA Medal for Academic Excellence.
- Allie Vasquez's 'This Counts Too' proposes accessibility modifications for the USC Architecture building.
- Anjing Tang's 'Thick Thresholds' won the Excellence in Directed Design Research award.
- Projects address wildfire risk, urban sprawl, accessibility, ecological design, and community engagement.
- USC School of Architecture is located in Los Angeles and unites four disciplines under one roof.
Entities
Artists
- Reed Wilson
- Aliya Formeloza
- Kianna Armstrong
- AJ Zhang
- Joseph Monticciolo
- Allie Vasquez
- Anjing Tang
- Ryan Li
- Garett Lee
- Suylen De La Rosa
- Lisa Little
- Evelyn Tickle
- Hadrian Predock
- Eric Haas
- Brian Deluna
- Jia Zhou Zhu
- Ryan Tyler Martinez
- Filippo Brunelleschi
Institutions
- University of Southern California
- USC School of Architecture
- Dezeen
- American Institute of Architects
- Building Technology Educators' Society
Locations
- Pacific Palisades
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Garfield Heights
- Ohio
- Manhattan
- Florence
- Italy
Sources
- Dezeen —