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Project Background
House Museum - Project Chimney
Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, CA
After the 2025 Palisades Fire, the architectural heritage of the Pacific Palisades was reduced to isolated fragments—scattering people, history, and communities. Among the rubble, over 55 historically significant chimneys survived, some designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Jr., Richard Neutra, Ray Kappe, and Paul R. Williams. House Museum is working to preserve these structures through documentation and relocation. Our goal is to save 7 of the surviving chimneys that represent the development of Southern Californian architecture, legacies of homeowners, and the Pre-Fire Palisadian landscape.
Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. (1890–1978)
Notable Buildings: John Sowden House, Hollywood Bowl Shells, Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Taggart House, Oasis Hotel, Samuel-Novarro House, Joshua Tree Retreat Center, Wayfarers Chapel, Will Weber House, Otto Bollman House, Claudette Colbert Residence
Paul R. Williams (1894–1980)
Notable Buildings: LAX Theme Building, 28th Street YMCA, Rene Faron Residence, Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills, Williams Residence, Los Angeles Superior Court, La Concha Motel, St. Jude Hospital, Memphis, First AME Church, Los Angeles, Beverly Sunset Medical Center
Richard Neutra (1892–1970)
Notable Buildings: Kaufmann Desert House, Lovell House, Jardinette Apartments, Van der Leeuw House, Laemmle Building, Scheyer House, Landfair Apartments, Neutra/Maxwell House, Stuart Bailey House, Case Study House #6, #13, #20A, #21A, Cyclorama Building, UCLA Lab School
House Museum creates an Artifact Catalogue that highlights the unique architectural heritage of the Pacific Palisades, from Mediterranean villas to Coastal New England homes dating back to the 1920s. We have collected oral histories, material data, photographs, and videos captured throughout the community engagement process, in collaboration with the Pacific Palisades Preservation Coalition. With the Army Corps debris clearance nearing completion, Project Chimney documentation represents a small window in history when the structures were free-standing.
Now, over 85% of the historic chimneys have been demolished.
Palisades Fire Memorial [Artifact Catalogue G–L], 2025.
House Museum's goal is to create the Palisades Fire Memorial—a public installation built of 7 freestanding heritage chimneys. Committed chimneys were designed by Eric Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, and Ray Kappe—among others with unique architectural characteristics. Working with local residents and public land stewards, the memorial will invite the community to gather, while recalling bygone structures as a critical architectural guide for future rebuild trajectories. In order to resist complete erasure, we are fundraising to relocate select structures. Salvaged freestanding chimneys will stand as beacons for future generations to remember the past.
"Etched in the minds of many Angelenos are the post-fire images of entire residential blocks razed, save for the chimneys, standing defiantly. The chimneys have quickly become symbols of the heart of lost homes and the endurance of the community."
Adrian Scott Fine, President and CEO of Los Angeles Conservancy
Palisades Fire Memorial, Concept Rendering © Milton Lau, AIA, Evan Hall, House Museum
"From a conservation perspective, the memorial stands as an invaluable addition to our cultural landscape alongside important Los Angeles landmarks like the Eames House, Schindler House, and other architectural icons."
Timothy P. Whalen, Director of Getty Conservation Institute
In partnership with the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) and Mason Contractors Association of California (MCAC), a national and local task force has assembled to salvage the 7 heritage chimneys for the Palisades Fire Memorial. Construction teams led by preservationist Ean Frank, President of Significant Structures LLC, are collaborating to save the fire resilient chimneys and aid in heritage recovery.
"These seven chimneys aren't just brick and mortar; they are historically significant pieces of the area's past and a lasting testament to the term Masonry Strong"
Jeff Buczkiewicz, President and CEO of Mason Contractors Association of America
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Evan Hall: Evan Curtis Charles Hall is an artist, educator, and Founding Director of House Museum. He spearheads House Museum's mission to revitalize historic landmarks through conceptual art methods, establishing a constellation of project sites where multiple times and histories are activated in the present. He received a BFA from Cooper Union and a MFA, CTL Teaching Certificate, and Graduate Certificate of Archaeological Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania. Hall has given talks at the University of Haifa, Israel, the University of Fine Arts, Ravenna, Italy, and Thomas Jefferson University College of Architecture. He has processed artifacts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and archaeological settlement contexts in Bat, Oman. His works of art have been exhibited at The Penn Museum, PA; 41 Cooper Gallery, NY; EFA Project Space, NY; Philomathean Gallery, PA; Automat Gallery, PA; A Lab Amsterdam, NL; and the Municipal Archive of Lugo, Italy. Hall lives and works between places including Los Angeles, New York City, and Paris.
Ean Frank: As a traditional trades' craftsman, he physically arrested decay of prominent registered landmarks, within the greater Philadelphia area. Most of these sites were cultural assets managed by public institutions. Ean’s academic proclivities and sense of ownership propelled him into a leadership role while remaining engaged in physical tasks. As a working foreman and superintendent, Ean managed the rehabilitation of National Trust, National Historic Landmarks and UNESCO World Heritage sites. In 2016 Ean put down the tools and became a full-time project manager. Expanding geographically, he continues to manage project throughout the United States. Within California, he has assisted in the preservation of: The San Gabriel Mission, Wiltern Theatre, Belasco Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, UCLA Powell Library, Bridgeport Covered Bridge, California State Capital, Oregon State Capital, Tule Lake Interment Camp, Tower Theatre, Pomona YMCA, Hotel Del Coronado, The Schindler House and the Saban Theatre. For his contributions Ean has received multiple awards from preservation NGO’s including California Preservation Foundation and Arizona SHIPO. Ean is founder and president of Significant Structures LLC, which provides general contracting, specialty contracting and consultant services for those seeking to rehabilitation, restoration and preservation services.
Alan White: Alan is a founding partner at AQYER, LLC in Los Angeles, CA. His company specializes in non-destructive evaluation, comprising historic preservation, field data collection, analysis, interpretation and delivery of 2D and 3D documentation. Alan's 20 years of preservation experience ranges from hands-on restoration of medieval properties in the UK to his current role deploying emerging technology for the non-destructive evaluation and measured survey of existing structures. Alan brings a broad network of professionals and unique project experience to WCAPT. With a unique insight to preservation technology, Alan delivers an enthusiastic approach to educating members of the architecture, engineering and construction community.
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