Oct. 20, 2023 – An image of rebirth inspired students from UC Irvine and Orange Coast College (OCC) as they designed and built a home named LuminOCity to enter into the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon where it won second place, among many other awards, including first place in market potential and engineering and construction. They plan to donate the home to homeless youth.

The roof of their home reaches up like the wings of a butterfly. “We studied metamorphosis and wanted the house to mold into the residents’ story and provide them the encouragement to leave more uplifted and secure,” says OCC student Georgie Ampudia, the project’s student lead. The butterfly roof also enables residents to enjoy high ceilings, more solar panels and rainwater collection for recycling.