For those amid the process of rebuilding following the January wildfires, the choice between a pre-designed template and a more custom plan can be complex.

While some may gravitate toward the custom build, the higher price tag and lengthier timeline can be discouraging. On the other hand, the perception of a neighborhood filled with copy-and-paste homes also may not be ideal.

In an effort to strike the balance between these two choices, Jason and Steven Somers, co-founders of Crest Real Estate and brother duo, launched “Case Study 2.0” – a catalog of nearly 60 home designs from more than 40 architects. “This is the elevated version of the model home concept,” said Steven Somers.

With Crest’s expertise in urban planning, the land-use consulting firm based in Sawtelle is well versed in tailoring projects to obtain permits quickly. The Somers wanted the participating architects to have freedom of design with only a few requirements: the designs could be replicated across the most common parcels in Pacific Palisades and Altadena; they meet fire-resistant standards; and they had to be ‘beautiful,’ said Steven.

“Aside from that, we really left it open to the architects,” he said. “Ultimately, the goal of the program is to provide as many options as possible to the community and the rebuilding effort.”

The architects designed the plans on a pro-bono basis. Crest Real Estate even sent out feelers for participants, and the firm received an “overwhelming and immediate” response from the architects, Steven said.

About 75% of the participating architects were based in Los Angeles. One notable local contributor includes Sawtelle-based Marmol Radziner, whose 2023 revenue was $29 million. “The beauty of the program and what it created is evident through this variety of single story, two story, different square footage sizes, different bedrooms, different architectural styles from modern, traditional, Spanish to farmhouse and even certain properties that were designed for multi-lot development,” Jason Somers said.

In terms of compliance and aesthetic, some designs were created more for the Altadena community, some were more targeted for Pacific Palisades and some aimed to appeal to both communities. However, embedded in the vast majority of designs was creating a home that “embraces the indoor-outdoor lifestyle,” Steven Somers said.

How it works

Once a homeowner selects a design, it will be converted into a full-standard plan with engineering logistics and city processes to follow. Once a standard plan is established, future residents using that plan will have a streamlined approval process.The choice to wait until a design option is selected boils down to saving time and costs for any designs that may not get chosen right away, or at all, and to not overwhelm the city with all 57 applications at once.

“We want to really get ones that resonate the most with the community approved and we’re going to be able to get them approved really quickly,” Steven said. “We’ve already talked with the city about this process, and they’re fully on board.”

A design’s first round will likely take around two months to get city approval but once it becomes standardized, it should only take days to weeks, Jason said.

As far as costs go, on top of creating the designs for free, the participating architects are reducing their typical rates and instead are asking for $25 per square foot across the board. Steven estimated this to be between 25% and 35% of the architects’ typical fees for construction documents. Depending on the popularity of their design, architects could be operating at a loss with this model, but Steven said profits are not the goal for Case Study 2.0 but instead, a chance to give back to the community.

“Most communities that are built in a sort of cookie cutter, replicated fashion are built using designs where the primary objective, the sole objective, really is affordability,” Steven said. “… But these are homes of various styles designed by some of the greatest architectural minds of our time, and that is what will set (this program) apart.”

The hope is that lessons learned from Case Study 2.0 can be applied to housing in general, not just for the rebuild. “We hope Case Study 2.0 changes the philosophy and strategy on building houses,” Jason said. “Besides the fire rebuild crisis, one of our most important crises in housing construction is the inefficiency, the expense and the time allotment that it takes to build these homes.”