In the 1940s, architect Gregory Ain designed one of the first Modernist neighborhoods in America, in Altadena, California. Called the Park Planned Homes, it was a community of 28 single-story homes laid out in a cul-de-sac and utilizing shared green spaces between the homes. That aside, the location of the windows and the design of the landscaping still provided each house with visual privacy.

The interiors were groundbreaking. Ain was a proponent of open floorplans, which allowed residents to configure and reconfigure their spaces as needed; this at a time when your average American house had clearly defined rooms.

Ain's goal was to provide affordable housing and Modernist style to middle-class families. It worked, at least for 28 lucky homeowners. While rising costs meant the feat of building this neighborhood would not be repeated, in 2014, L.A. County recognized the accomplishment and designated the Park Planned Homes an Historic District.

Fire pays no attention to such designations. Of the 12,000 (and counting) homes destroyed by L.A.'s wildfires this month, at least 20 of them were Park Planned Homes; at press time there were only four that were confirmed to be undamaged.

The odds that we'll see a Modernist neighborhood like this erected again--affordably--are slim.