Inside America’s Oldest Stained Glass Studio & a Home Rebuild with Alex Azat

Months into the rebuilding process, Alex Azat’s Altadena fire rebuild is starting to take shape in a tangible way.

Before heading to the site, Alex visits Judson Studios, the oldest stained glass studio in the United States, to make some big decisions on custom stained-glass doors that will anchor one of the home’s most distinctive architectural elements. The visit traces the meeting point between traditional craft and a contemporary interpretation shaped specifically for this rebuild.

Back at the property, with drywall complete, windows in place, and stucco underway, the house has begun to settle into its outline. Alex and Issa move room to room, discussing layout changes, family routines, and the quieter design decisions that are now defining the interiors—from a fireplace-centered kitchen to integrated storage and preserved details carried forward from the original structure.

Across the neighborhood, other homes are also beginning to take shape, marking a broader sense of return as rebuilding continues block by block.

The visit ends with Alex’s friend Heather Sanderson stopping by for a walkthrough, taking in the progress and marking how far the project has come since the earliest stages of construction.