(Tuesday, June 16, 2026) It is with tremendous sadness that we write of the loss of Lorcan O’Herlihy, FAIA—the celebrated designer and founder of LOHA who passed away over the weekend, at the age of 66, of cancer.

As an architect, O’Herlihy began with small but signature projects that set his path: formal clarity punctuated by aperture, striking color, or both the outcome of connecting outer world to inner space in the context of the urban environment

From his earliest works such as a tiny, white-tile-clad cube aligning the busy thoroughfare of Main Street in Santa Monica, to Vertical House, a residence on a non-residential street—to his breakthrough project—Habitat825, which answered the challenge of being adjacent to Schindler House in West Hollywood—and on, O’Herlihy offered clients, users, residents, unforgettable place.

Though distilled to a definitive palette, the projects were never as simple as they appeared. Beautiful design belying their inventiveness.

For the multifamily housing project Formosa 1140, O’Herlihy convinced the project’s developer to push the density to a band on the edge of the property, transforming the remaining open space to a public park.  While on Granville1500 a 320,000-square-foot, 153-unit mixed-use project, an AIA California jury noted the design was so deft the podium disappeared.

“O’Herlihy brings a continuous source of inventiveness… How do we make a world where we can celebrate/make it a worthwhile place to be?”, noted a different AIA California jury in awarding him the organization’s most prestigious award for designers – the Maybeck. “He is a practitioner others learn from.”

It was 2023, and the world that O’Herlihy was touching and working in embraced a commitment to affordable housing, and shelter that delivered social justice. It extended beyond the bounds of his adopted city, Los Angeles, to Detroit, and beyond his adopted country, the United States, to his much-cherished homeland, Ireland—where he was born, lived in again as he grew up, and returned again as an architect.

By now he was leading a mature and celebrated firm. He was recognized with over 200 national and international design awards, including AIA California’s distinguished Maybeck Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Distinguished Practice Award, along with numerous Design Awards.

In mid-2025, we reached out to him. He’s lost a house in the fires—would he do a video for the AIA California social media feed, directly connecting with fire victims and giving them an actionable piece of information? He told us that he had been fortunate. His family was alright. He had insurance. They had living accommodations. He wouldn’t speak of his own experience, but he would be happy to share his expertise on rebuilding with others less fortunate.

When the roadblock at the PCH turned us away, preventing us from reaching him, we tossed around solutions. Deliberating alternatives to connect that day became a moment for us to catch-up. In the end, the best solution, and the one O’Herlihy was delighted with was: he had one of his sons, who was learning about video production in school, tape it. His family was our last conversation with us.

Lorcan was driven. But his love of kin was his most precious. In a speech on the occasion of his AIA Los Angeles Gold Medal, he talked at length of his father, the Irish actor, Dan O’Herlihy. One of the last days we saw him in person, he was in the midst of being a carpool dad—he had twins, Daire and Darcy. The adoration he had for his ethereal wife Leila was always evident to us.

Lorcan made an indelible mark on the spaces he designed, the places he created, and the people he touched in the profession. AIA California sends our condolences and compassion to those he touched the most Leila, Daire, and Darcy.