Lorcan O’Herlihy, an influential architect known for his innovative contributions to high-density urban housing in Los Angeles, died on June 14 at his home in Malibu, California. He was 66. His firm, Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects, confirmed that the cause of death was glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Born in Dublin, O’Herlihy established himself as a prominent figure in the architectural community by challenging traditional approaches to urban living in Los Angeles, a city historically dominated by car-centric development and single-family homes. He championed multifamily housing projects that emphasized affordability, expanded communal spaces, and a stronger integration with the surrounding urban environment.
Throughout his career, O’Herlihy was recognized as a leading voice extending the legacy of iconic Los Angeles architects such as Richard Neutra and Frank Gehry, advocating for designs that stretched beyond 20th-century modernist constraints. He emphasized social equity and community-building through architecture, underscoring the importance of designs that foster human interaction and cultural development amid growing global urban density.
One of O’Herlihy’s notable projects, Formosa 1140 in West Hollywood, incorporated a public park occupying one-third of the site, promoting shared green space in a dense neighborhood. Another development, Habitat 825, creatively extended the sidewalk into the building’s footprint, blurring the boundaries between public and private spaces. In Koreatown, his Mariposa 1038 project utilized a minimalist white cube design to maximize living space while adding street-level interest and a rooftop garden for residents.
O’Herlihy’s portfolio was notable for its focus on inclusivity. He designed housing for a diverse range of residents, including formerly homeless individuals, people with disabilities, and low-income families. Rejecting the pursuit of luxury housing typical of many in his profession, he often worked on projects in unconventional locations with a focus on maximizing efficiency.
Early in his career, he completed commissions for single-family homes, including for his own parents, but he chose to build upon this experience to prioritize multifamily residential architecture. He articulated a philosophy that viewed architecture as inherently social, describing buildings not as isolated objects but as tools for fostering civic and social engagement.
Environmental sustainability was a consistent theme in his work. O’Herlihy emphasized the use of low- or zero-emission materials and designed buildings to be resilient to climate-related challenges such as rising temperatures and flooding. He maintained that architects have a critical responsibility to address climate change through their work, calling it the most pressing crisis facing the industry and society at large.
O’Herlihy’s death marks the loss of a distinctive voice in urban architecture, one that sought to reshape how cities accommodate density while advancing social and environmental goals.