Altadena has a “special sauce,” explains resident and architect Steve Lewis. This unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, nestled at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, is recognized for its small town feel, diversity and bohemian vibe.

It’s long been a haven for Black Angelenos who were unable to buy property elsewhere in LA due to redlining practices in. Artists like Charles White moved there. So did novelist Octavia Butler. 

Not far from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Altadena’s has been home to scientists and artists alike — nurses and teachers, too.

It felt so perfect that some residents nicknamed it “Shangri-La.” 

That mix was also reflected in the architecture, and it’s for all these reasons that so many are moved to preserve it and bring back what is lost in the Eaton Fire. 

Guests: 

Steven Lewis, architect, consultant, Thinking Leadership, AIA, NOMA
Jessica Orlando, architect, Perkins & Will, AIA
Alex Athenson, president and cofounder, The Foothill Catalog Foundation

Altadena resident Keni Arts