A conversation with Resilient Design’s architectural designer, Dorian Bernard
By Ben Marcus
Your humble writer/reporter lives in a modest rented room hidden away along Malibu Road. But don’t judge, or let that fool you. He has seen a few places and knows enough to engage in conversation with Dorian Bernard, an architectural designer from France who arrived in the right place at the wrong time about six years ago — just before the Woolsey Fire created a lot of opportunities for a talented architect. He has been helping rebuild Malibu ever since.
To consult with Dorian Bernard on your Malibu dream house: resilientdesignllc.net/
J’avoue. I have fished the Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania twice and twice I had a chance to go tour Falling Water and twice kept fishing. Je m’excuse.
Visiting the Falling Water House was one of my main goals when I arrived in the U.S. I stopped by Pittsburgh and on my way to Chicago just to tour it. This is one of the first houses I remember a long time ago thinking “Wow, this is what I want to do when I grow up.” It blends the boundaries between nature and building.
That house on your website homepage is Falling Water-ish?
It was a collaborative design while I was working at Vitus Mataré & Associates, the constraint was to be lower than the street above, to protect the neighbor’s view. I tried to accentuate the main lines and connect the home to its site as Frank Lloyd Wright does so well.
Did you know that almost-disguised house at the top of Saddle Peak was built and was inhabited by Frank Lloyd Wright’s grandson?
Yes, I did. I only saw the pictures available online. “Almost-disguised” should be the norm, I don’t take sides between pro and con development in the mountains, But as a designer, this is the best response to a site so unique.
Loaded question: Is Malibu a good or bad place to be an architect?
I think Malibu is a great place if you are armed with patience and offers incredible sites to express your creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Your bio reads: “Originally from the Basque Country in the southwest of France…” So you are Basque? Euskaraz hitz egiten al duzu?
Ez. Unfortunately, I don’t speak Basque, but can understand only a few words
Your website continues: “After completing his studies in art and architecture in Montpellier, Dorian relocated to Malibu in 2018.” Why and how did you come to Malibu?
It was part of my gap year between my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. I was looking for an internship in Los Angeles, and one of my inquiries went to Vitus Mataré. His work, especially one of his projects on Piuma Road, the Malkhasian Residence, held my attention to Malibu.
And then: “Just a month before the devastating Woolsey Fire. This event thrust him into numerous fire-rebuild projects, deeply influencing his career and inspiring him to volunteer as a wildland firefighter to better understand fire behavior.” Sometimes it’s all about timing.
Well, I’ll always remember this feeling of evacuating Malibu and being unable to help. I remember driving up to Saddle Peak on Thursday evening and how quickly the situation worsened. I remember the orange sky in the middle of the day and the ashes falling from the sky, even miles away in Palisades.
Wildland fires are recurrent in the area and are a real concern for homeowners, specifically with the actual home insurance situation.
Malibu is populated by sophistos with the money and good taste to let a young, ambitious “Basquitect” go to town on designing their home. What are your design influences?
My main influences are mid-Century Modern, including Mies Van Der Rohe, John Lautner, Richard Neutra, and of course Frank Lloyd Wright. I strongly believe that architectural heritage must be preserved. This is what gives a city or an area its identity, like Palm Springs or Santa Barbara.
Malibu was made for Mid-Century Modern: Space and light.
I would certainly agree that Malibu suits Mid-Century Modern very well.
How many homes have you worked on since Woolsey? How many have been built?
I have been involved in over 70 projects since October 2018, 27 among them were fire rebuilds.
How many have been delayed? What advice might you have starting a project and when working with the planners and regulators of Malibu?
Like-for-like fire rebuilds were straightforward, especially when records of permits and plans were found. But any new development in Malibu City is quite challenging. I would highly recommend deep due diligence before buying any property to verify that every requirement can be met.
What materials and measures do you utilize in designing homes in Malibu with the environment and fire protection in mind?
Regarding fire prevention in Wildland Urban Interface, I always consider two main areas.
- Defense strategy: Before designating a building footprint, I would first look at the access and see if it fits the fire department requirements. Then, I would analyze the topography and aspect of the site. Are we located in a chimney or saddle? Which Aspect? Is the topography aligned with the Santa Ana Wind? Could the driveway be used as a control line?
2-Material and Assembly: As part of the fire department requirement exposed materials must be fire-rated class A in Very High Hazard Fire Severity Zone. Designing Non-Vented attics limit the risk of ember cast. The right selection of windows is also critical and can be the weakest point of a home. Also if the budget allows it, adding cement board under the plaster/stucco can make a huge difference.
I compiled a 16,000-plus word timeline and story on all that U2 guitarist The Edge went through to try and build five homes on Sweetwater Mesa. I call it “If You Want to Kiss the Sky, Better Learn How to Kneel.” Would you like to read it?
I did read it! I think it would make a great Netflix show, I was especially stunned by the result of the last appeal. (But I don’t want to spoil the story).
Malibu isn’t easy. My friend calls it “economic cleansing.” But if it was easy, it would be indistinguishable from Orange County, and who wants that? But it appears you are finding it rewarding.
The whole process is time and money-consuming, which discourages families from building and favors the rise of spec homes.
Overall — what are your five favorite, most inspiring buildings/houses in the world?
This is a tough question. I think to be inspiring, a house must fit its site, considering its constraints and advantages. The design must be uniform, not a patchwork of different styles, and without any useless ornaments.
What are your five favorite houses in Malibu you didn’t design?
- The Hunt House by Craig Ellwood
- The Wave House by Harry Gesner
- Carbon Beach House by John Lautner
- Richard Meier’s houses
- 747 Wing House by David Hertz
What are your five favorite houses in Malibu you did design or collaborate on?
I don’t play favorites. Which of your children do you love the most?