Art Deco, Cape Cod, and Acts of God: How Natural Disasters Shape Construction and Design

• Pages: 53-58
• Date: 01 January 2026
• Published date: 01 January 2026
• Author: Isabelle Grest
• Subject Matter: Derecho Público y Administrativo

Published in The Construction Lawyer Volume 45, Number 1, ©2026 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with

permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any

means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

Forum on Construction Law The Construction Lawyer Winter 2026

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Art Deco, Cape Cod, and Acts of God: How Natural Disasters

Shape Construction and Design

By Isabelle Grest

Isabelle Grest is a part-time J.D. candidate at Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanta,

Georgia. She works primarily in commercial real estate with a background in residential real estate and

real estate litigation. Her academic interests lie in construction law and the fault lines between contracts,

risk, and the built environment.

So much of America is shaped by artistic inspiration—from our music to our architecture. But beyond

artistry, construction reflects a region’s various cultural values, technological innovations, societal

needs, and geography. Natural disasters have long influenced the American landscape—and, with it,

the construction and design industry. While creativity and artistry have traditionally taken center stage

in America’s narrative of construction and design, a new main character has swept into focus in the last

few decades, reshaping the industry’s priorities and practices. The devastation that follows many natural

disasters heavily impacts reconstruction and catalyzes shifts in future construction practices, building stan-

dards, insurance policies, private contracts, and legislation that then reshape communities for generations.

Disasters as a Catalyst for Change and Spheres of Inuence for Post-Disaster Construction

Hurricanes, wildfires, tornados, and unprecedented weather patterns are all natural disasters that

have wreaked havoc on American communities and the construction of the buildings within those

communities—many of which have been left to bear the brunt of the impact they were not built to

withstand. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hurricane Helene, which

struck in late September 2024, and Hurricane Milton, which quickly followed in October 2024, have

collectively caused $113 billion in damages to those communities in their wake.1 The Los Angeles fires

in January 2025 added another $65 billion in damages to the total damages caused by natural disasters.2

Over the decades, the damages caused by natural disasters have increased due to the combined increase in

frequency of natural disasters, increase in the population, and increase in material wealth.3 The statistics

show that between 1980 and 1989, the United States averaged 3.3 natural disasters per year, each

resulting in a billion dollars in damages.4 The number continues to rise, with 2010–2019 averaging 13.1

natural disasters per year resulting in a billion dollars in damages per disaster, and 24 natural disasters

each resulting in a billion dollars in damages in 2024.5 The surge in catastrophic weather events combined

with an ever-expanding population has created a costly and volatile equation for recovery and rebuilding.6

Natural disasters shape the construction industry by influencing the location, timing, method, and ability

to build and rebuild.

Municipal Codes, Ordinances, and Zoning Regulations

Municipal codes, ordinances, and zoning regulations—which dictate where and how we are permitted

to build—create some of the first lines of defense a community has against the growing number of

natural disasters. These codes, ordinances, and zoning regulations have changed over time to reflect the

most up-to-date building practices; building codes also dier from city to city and state to state due to

variations in local needs, climate, and other risk factors.7 Natural disasters, like 2005’s Hurricane Katrina,

which caused more than $125 billion in damages, permanently changed the way our nation thinks about

rebuilding post natural disaster; this includes building back using construction techniques and community