TerraFlare – Uniting Air, Fire, and Community

Haochen He & Linhao Li

Short description

TerraFlare proposes an integrated ecological infrastructure system that addresses the twin crises of climate change and wildfire in California’s Angeles National Forest. It combines three primary interventions: fire breaks along vulnerable slopes, a rammed-earth fire dike that runs across the ridge, and a pair of Direct Air Capture (DAC) towers placed at strategic high points. These elements operate as a unified system—slowing the spread of wildfire, sequestering carbon, and generating public awareness and resilience through direct engagement with landscape-based solutions.

The DAC towers are designed as multifunctional climate infrastructures. Beyond atmospheric CO₂ capture, they incorporate solar energy generation, fog and rainwater harvesting, and geological carbon injection using a CO₂-water mixture. These self-sustaining systems also serve as public watchtowers, featuring accessible circulation routes, educational platforms, and community gathering spaces. The design additionally incorporates wildlife corridors and soil regeneration strategies, ensuring that ecological and cultural continuity are embedded in the project.

Originating from a broader exploration of Climate Uncertainties, the project uses microhistory to investigate direct air capture and wildfire management. These detailed case studies revealed overlooked synergies between carbon removal and wildfire ecology. This informed a new infrastructure typology—one that embraces uncertainty, foregrounds lived experience, and fuses scientific innovation with environmental stewardship.

The site in LA County is both symbolically and practically significant. As one of the most wildfire-prone regions in the U.S., and with a net-zero emissions target by 2050, Los Angeles presents a critical testing ground. Simulations of the TerraFlare system demonstrate a 49% reduction in fire spread and the potential to remove 96,000 tons of CO₂ annually across eleven replicated sites. Compared to the financial and environmental toll of conventional wildfire response, this integrated approach is both economically and ecologically viable.

TerraFlare ultimately transcends the role of architecture as passive shelter or isolated object. It envisions infrastructure as a public interface—where environmental performance, community interaction, and climate justice converge. Drawing from indigenous fire stewardship, new material logics like rammed earth, and emerging climate technologies, the project embodies a hybrid, adaptive, and replicable model. Aligned with the mission of The 2030 Project, it offers a design-led pathway to bridge the gap between research and pressing societal needs.

In an age defined by ecological volatility, TerraFlare proposes not a retreat from risk, but an embrace of it—transforming uncertainty into a space for collaboration, care, and climate action.