RIBA interview

A Wildfire Wake-Up Call

On 6th August, I was interviewed by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Journal about one of the most pressing challenges facing the built environment: how we need to rethink architecture in an era of increasingly severe wildfire.

The conversation explored why designing for wildfire resilience requires far more than simply adding fire-resistant materials to buildings. Wildfire is a complex Earth-system phenomenon, shaped by topography, fuel, weather, ecology and human activity — and its consequences intersect with other hazards, from heatwaves and flooding to landslides.

I also discussed the lessons architects can learn from fire-adapted ecosystems, particularly pyrophytic plants, and why resilience demands collaboration across disciplines.

My central message is simple: know your brief, understand wildfire, and never assume that one solution fits every landscape.

RIBA members can read the interview, Architecture’s Wildfire Wake-Up Call, here.