Patronage Invitation:

Supporting the Design for Wildfire school

A Pioneering School for a Global Challenge

The Design for Wildfire school, launching in 2025, will be the world’s first educational initiative dedicated to developing nature-inspired architectural and urban solutions for wildfire-prone environments through education, research, and collaboration. A first-in-kind hybrid virtual and pop-up school, it empowers both students and professionals alike with the knowledge and tools to develop nature-inspired wildfire resilience solutions.

We invite you — individuals of vision, influence, and means — to become a Founding Patron of this transformative institution. Your support will help establish a legacy of learning, innovation, and action, equipping the next generation of architects, urban planners, policymakers, and designers with the knowledge and tools to learn how to tackle this highly complex problem by learning how plants and other organisms that evolved to live with fire already have.

Why Support the Design for Wildfire school?

1/ Unique Educational Mission

The Design for Wildfire school is more than an educational initiative. Our curriculum is rooted in Pyrophytic Architecture™, which evolved from Panarchistic Architecture, a paradigm-shifting approach that applies deep insights from ecosystems, fire-adapted species, and resilient landscapes to the built environment. We teach students to design with nature, not against it, using cutting-edge research from fire ecology, biomimicry and its sister fields, materials science, design, and engineering.

2/ Blended Learning Experience — Accessible yet Impactful

Our innovative hybrid model will make world-class education accessible to students worldwide. Patrons will directly support the development of:

• Virtual Learning Platform – Expert-led masterclasses, workshops, and multimedia content that delivers pioneering knowledge in wildfire resilience.

• Field-Based Pop-Up School – Hands-on field studies and other learning activities in wildfire-prone regions.

• Collaborative Research Initiatives – Partnerships with leading global experts and institutions to advance nature-inspired design solutions.

3/ Real-World Impact at the Nexus of Science, Design, and Policy

This school is not simply about theoretical learning; it is about tangible, actionable change. Students and researchers will develop solutions that:

• Inform new architectural thinking, practice, codes and policies.

• Inspire sustainable materials, engineering, and construction methods.

• Deliver new concepts in how to adapt and thrive in fire-prone regions.

By supporting this initiative, you are investing in science-based and highly innovative solutions to one of the most pressing global challenges of our time.

Your Role as a Patron

How Your Support Will Shape the Future

As a Founding Patron, you will play a critical role in bringing this world-changing initiative to life. Your contribution will directly fund:

• Cutting-Edge Research – Enabling world-class scholars, architects, and scientists to work together to develop new frameworks for wildfire resilience.

• State-of-the-Art Educational Platform – Creating accessible, high-quality learning experiences for professionals and students worldwide.

• Scholarships for Emerging Leaders – Supporting the most promising talent with the skills, approach, and potential to create tangible solutions to complex problems.

• Global Outreach & Collaboration – Establishing international partnerships with leading experts and institutions to advance policy and practice.

Exclusive Patron Benefits

As a Founding Patron, you will receive exclusive access to:

• Behind-the-Scenes Access – Private briefings with Dr. Melissa Sterry on the latest wildfire resilience innovations.

• First-Look at Breakthrough Research – Access to exclusive reports and insights before they are released to the public.

• Recognition & Legacy – Your name or organisation’s contribution will be immortalised in our Founding Patrons’ Circle, with opportunities to sponsor key research projects, scholarships, and learning initiatives.

Why Act Now?

A Timely Response to a Growing Crisis

Wildfires are no longer an isolated issue. The frequency, intensity, and impact of wildfires are escalating, devastating communities across the United States, Europe, Australia, and beyond. Climate change and rapid urbanisation of wildlands are among several factors amplifying the threat, and in the process making some design approaches obsolete. There is an urgent need for bold, systemic solutions, and Design for Wildfire school harnesses an unprecedented approach that’s as forward-thinking as it is scientifically rigorous to reimagine how we live with fire.

A Legacy of Innovation and Leadership

Your patronage will cement your legacy as a supporter of cutting-edge resilience research, aligning you with a cause that is not only timely but also timeless. Future generations will look back at this moment as a turning point in how humanity coexists with fire.

This is an investment in the future—backing innovative, nature-inspired strategies that will shape industry, policy, and global resilience efforts for decades to come.

Join Us — Shape the Future of Wildfire Resilience

Becoming a Founding Patron of the Design for Wildfire School is a rare opportunity to support a groundbreaking initiative at its inception. Your contribution will not only drive the advancement of science, design, and education but in a way that’s designed to be highly accessible, flexible, and future-proof at a time of rapid global change.

Your Support Matters. The Future Needs Visionaries. The Future Needs You.

To explore patronage opportunities, discuss bespoke partnerships, or arrange a private briefing with Dr. Sterry, please contact us today.

Together, let us create a world where wildfires are no longer a catastrophe — but a force we can understand, design for, and live with.

Yours in resilience and renewal,

Melissa Sterry

Founder, Design for Wildfire school

Reimagining Resilience through Nature-Inspired Design