Lorcan O’Herlihy, founding principal of Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (LOHA), died June 14 at the age of 66. He was a visionary architect in custom residential and made significant contributions to social housing, civic and cultural buildings. Based in Los Angles, he believed architecture could be a catalyst for change and elevate the human condition. Founded in 1994, his firm has built over 100 projects across three continents.
Residential Design featured LOHA’s project, House Noir in 2019. Read an excerpt of the case study, written by RD‘s founding editor-in-chief, S. Claire Conroy, below. We’ve also included a tribute from the AIA|LA chapter.
Case Study: House Noir by Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects
It was the 1980s and Lorcan was fresh from stints working on important buildings for Steven Holl and I.M. Pei (including the addition to the Louvre Museum), when his parents approached him to design a house for them. “I’m forever grateful for that,” he recalls. “My parents said, ‘OK, here’s an opportunity, now show us what you can do.’ The house got published in Architectural Record and really gave me my start. Houses are very important to me. They’re an opportunity to invent and to speculate.”
Surveying the firm’s portfolio since then, it’s obvious that invention and speculation are at play at every building scale. Custom residential is one component, but at the opposite end of the spectrum are the firm’s contributions to social housing, civic and cultural buildings, and an array of commercial work. Some projects hit on multiple building types, too, with the added layers of adaptive reuse and renovation.
What distinguishes LOHA’s body of work is not just its architectural excellence, but that it soars so high despite multiple impediments to its success. Problem sites are not a rare occurrence but a common given condition for most projects the firm takes on. So, too, are building restrictions, neighborhood constraints, and a host of other hurdles that could fell a lesser firm. — S. Claire Conroy
Continue Reading | Case Study: House Noir by LOHA
AIA|LA Tribute to Lorcan O’Herlihy
From AIA|LA on Instagram:
It is with profound sadness that AIA|LA mourns the passing of Lorcan O’Herlihy, FAIA, a visionary architect, passionate advocate for housing and community, and cherished friend of the Chapter.
Lorcan dedicated his career to creating architecture that served people first, believing deeply in design’s power to strengthen neighborhoods and improve lives. Throughout the years, he generously gave his time and expertise to AIA|LA—serving on our Board of Directors, inspiring audiences as a speaker at numerous conferences, and consistently elevating the profession through his leadership and example. His firm received countless AIA|LA Design Awards, and in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to architecture and our city, Lorcan was honored with the AIA|LA Gold Medal, our highest distinction.
Lorcan’s legacy will live on through the communities he transformed, the architects he inspired, and the countless lives he touched. The entire AIA|LA family—our staff, Board of Directors, members, and community—extends its most heartfelt condolences to Lorcan’s family and to his entire team at LOHA. We are deeply grateful for his friendship, his generosity, and his unwavering commitment to making Los Angeles a better place through architecture. He will be profoundly missed, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.