AD was founded in Los Angeles in 1920, and The Architectural Digest, as it was then known, was expressly devoted to documenting the houses and buildings of the Golden State. Later the magazine expanded its attention beyond the borders of California, but the spirit of the place and its people remains ingrained in our DNA and is integral to AD’s signature style and editorial mission. Los Angeles in particular feels like a birthright, and when the devastating wildfires tore through Altadena, Pacific Palisades, and Malibu last January, our team decided to devote an issue and a fundraising campaign—to be launched with an event at The West Hollywood Edition—in honor of the City of Angels. This month, we are very pleased to announce that AD has partnered with San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity and The Foothill Catalog Foundation to support residential rebuilding efforts for those in need in Altadena. AD100 designers and the industry at large have rallied for the cause, and we invite donations here. We look forward to sharing the journeys of these homeowners in future issues and online.

Mandy Moore in her restored Altadena home.
Photo: Trevor Tondro
Kristen Stewart at the old-school Highland Theatre, which she is in the process of resurrecting.
Photo: Tierney Gearon
“I absolutely love L.A. There’s a kind of unified dissonance because it’s not really a city as much as a cluster of neighborhoods, but there’s unity in that.”
Kristen Stewart
The actors, entertainers, and athletes of LA are the beating heart of the city, and also its storytellers. So, AD asked a group of iconic Angelenos, from Lisa Kudrow to Noah Wyle to Kristen Stewart and many more—to share their favorite local spots, the spaces that make LA a city like no other. It’s a personal tour with a lot of heart.

Architect Chet Callahan (seated at left) with his family at their beach getaway.
Photo: Yoshihiro Makino, Art: June Edmonds / Luis De Jesus Los Angeles. Thaddeus Wolfe / Volume Gallery. Minjae Kim / Marta Los Angeles.
Scout Willis in the garden of her Hollywood home.
Photo: Laure Joliet
Speaking of heart, actor Mandy Moore and her husband, musician Taylor Goldsmith, reveal their miracle dream house in Altadena in this issue. It’s a bittersweet tale: Some parts of the beloved property were destroyed, other parts left intact yet irreparably damaged by smoke and ash. Moore and Goldsmith decided to double down on the community they loved—the couple describe themselves as “Alta-Dreamers”—and start afresh while staying put. “It’s clear that people want to be here,” says Moore. “There’s an undefeatable spirit. I don’t think that was ever more evident than during the fires.”

Want to Help? AD is proud to partner with The Foothill Catalog Foundation and San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild homes in Altadena. Click here to donate.
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Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
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