Robotic Homebuilding in the Palisades Fire Zone

A New Approach to Homebuilding in the Wake of Wildfires

In a once-scattered residential area in Pacific Palisades, a robotic arm is hard at work assembling wooden planks to create frames for future homes. This demonstration marked the launch event of Cosmic Buildings, a construction-technology company based in San Francisco. The event, held on Wednesday, August 5, showcased their new mobile “robotic micro factory,” which is set to begin operations soon.

Cosmic Buildings was founded in 2022 and has recently expanded to Los Angeles following the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires. These fires, which erupted on January 7, burned over 43,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures, with the total damage exceeding $51 billion. The company aims to help rebuild by constructing interior panels in its backyard factory and shipping them to locations in Pacific Palisades or Altadena to support the creation of fire-resistant homes.

A Vision Rooted in Personal Experience

Sasha Jokic, CEO and founder of Cosmic Buildings, grew up in war-torn Yugoslavia. His experiences there inspired the company’s mission to revolutionize the housing industry. “I lost my home in a war. Seeing my parents putting their lives together and building a house brick by brick really attracted me,” Jokic shared during the event. “I fell in love with architecture and construction as a magical process that makes something meaningful as a home.”

The micro factory located at 16855 Livorno Drive cost approximately $250,000 to set up. It uses a robotic arm to build interior frames, roofs, and flooring panels for single-family homes, taking into account wire and plumbing fixtures. One wall panel takes about 20 minutes to build, depending on its size.

Efficient and Cost-Effective Construction

While the home’s skeleton is being built, a construction crew manually lays the foundation and puts together pre-designed components on-site, such as cabinets, kitchen, and bathroom fixtures. This parallel approach between the robot and the construction crew results in a system that is around 10 times faster and 30% cheaper than traditional construction methods, according to Jokic.

The homes built by Cosmic range from $550 to $750 per square foot, depending on the design. In comparison, the median sale price per square foot in the Pacific Palisades is $1,270, up 20.2% since last year, according to a recent Redfin report. In Altadena, the median price is $749 per square foot.

A model home on 16855 Livorno Drive costs approximately $550 to $770 per square foot. This innovative approach to homebuilding is gaining attention, especially after the destruction caused by wildfires.

Streamlined Homebuilding Process

Homeowners have the option to select a pre-designed floor plan or create their own using an AI-driven design process. Working with AI ensures that designs comply with local building codes and allows the entire homebuilding process—customizing or selecting the floor plan, permitting, construction, delivery, and interior design—to be completed in less than a year.

Aaron George and his family, who own the property on 16855 Livorno Drive, had not finished moving into their newly-purchased home when the flames reached their lot. Currently renting in Redondo Beach, George, 38, is in the process of building a new home with Cosmic. He just finished selecting his floor plan, a “modern” design, and is now waiting on a permit from the city.

“We’ve done a couple of home renovations and construction projects in the past. There’s decision fatigue constantly. But this process is less intimidating because there’s a more limited number of options when it comes to materials, color schemes, and layouts,” George said.

Future Goals and Community Impact

Cosmic Buildings has ambitious goals, aiming to build 100 homes by 2027. As part of their commitment to the community, they will donate one home for every 10 constructed, as announced during the launch event. This initiative reflects the company’s dedication to helping those affected by wildfires and other disasters rebuild their lives.