Students in Utah architecture help LA fire victims to bring the reconstruction of the reconstruction

A group of architectural students from Utah spent her recent spring break in less Sunny California to trudge ash and debris to help the victims of the Eaton Fire start the reconstruction process.

The students of Utah Valley University measure foundations and met with 32 home owners to collect data with which they will produce digital models of the original houses of the owners. Gordon Mackay, the professor who led the group, hopes that fire sacrifices can bring the models to a local architect, who can then fill out missing measurements and details.

“I think it should be possible for an architect to give them a better price for these homeowners because the design share is done,” he said.

Mackay, who has also been working in the restoration business for almost two decades, said that the work could also help relieve victims who are still arguing before insurance. “This will give you a really good, scaled drawing of what you had so that you can hopefully get what you earn from your insurance companies,” he said.

How the project was created

Mackay said the students were moved by the destruction they saw in the news and wanted to know how they could help. A faculty member had an answer: “Maybe we could go to LA and draw plans for these people.” Mackay remembered. “You will all need an architect to draw something.”

Twenty -four students donated their time; The school paid for trips and accommodations.

If you are back on campus on Monday, the students will work in teams to create what is known CAD drawings By People Pre-Fire Homes. They hope to send these 3D models homeowners within a few weeks.

A first step in reconstruction

Mackay said the group only worked with homeowners who essentially want to rebuild the same home as before the fires. He said the digital models would not be enough to satisfy a building permit, but he hoped that she would shorten the time that would go back and forth with an architect and would help people build earlier.

“Sometimes with home owners – sometimes with all customers – there can be a lot of indecisiveness, right? … and you can waste weeks and even months if you look at Pinterest boards, ”he said.

The tightening of a part of this decision -making could be a welcome relief for fire sacrifices that seem to face seemingly endless decisions Intermediate housingPresent Clean up your destroyed land And also whether rebuild at all.

Other resources for reconstruction

The students of architecture in Utah massage the number of homeowners to help them. Other architectural groups also offer fire sacrifices free and inexpensive services:

Do you know another resource that we should add? Tell us!