The fires, in their destructive rage, have highlighted the spectacular architectural legacy of Los Angeles one that is often taken for granted, or even ignored. They remind us that the city has long been one of the worlds great laboratories for residential architecture, and that its best buildings are vaunted pieces of art, and equally vulnerable to the ravages of nature.Writing for The New York Times, architectural journalist Sam Lubell laments the many architectural gems already consumed by raging fires in Los Angeles. Among those destroyed are the Will Rogers House (1926), which a colleague of Lubell previously described as magical. The fires have also claimed Ray Kappes Keeler House (1991) which, for Lubell, typified Kappes bravery and intuitive craft.The Will Rogers House before its destruction in January 2025. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons user Los Angeles licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0Beyond the Palisades, Lubell also notes the destruction of the Mediterranean-style Zane Grey Estate (1907) and the Andrew McNally House (1887), both in Altadena. Now comes the anxious waiting, to find out what else has fallen, and may still, Lubell writes. We refresh fire maps, whose red outlines inch ever closer to beloved landmarks. Some of the worlds great architecture sits helplessly on the edge.You can follow Archinects ongoing coverage of ho...