Los Angeles Trade Technical College | Watts Next: The Nature Walk: Designing a three-mile green-space pedestrian walk along the Watts train tracks to improve the neighborhood microclimate and quality of life. | Goal 6: Accessible parks, beaches, recreational waters, public lands, and public spaces that create opportunities for respite, recreation, ecological discovery, and cultural activities.
Conceptual Design
This project will create a conceptual design laying the foundation for a three-mile pedestrian walk along the train tracks of Watts, transforming an area devoid of greenery, a hardscape with little shade, polluted air, and trash piled in neglected corners. Drawing from a steadily expanding virtual library offering innovative 3D drag-and-drop design solutions to support the microclimate, this flexible approach will enable the community to imagine their own public green space, with cooling stations, observation towers, pollinators, and opportunities to create clean air, sustainable water use, and energy production. Using the metaverse as a platform for sharing design modules, the project further intends to provide a blueprint for urban change that can be easily accessed and modified by site.
Team: Marcela Oliva, Professor of Architecture and Environmental Design;: Daniel Cornelio Arana; John C. Bladow; Bairon Jesus Bonilla Arias; Juliana T. Daniel; Lumen R. Degale; Jacob Duran; Wendell J. Jenkins; Julio Jimenez; Erika Pineda; Destiny V. Serrano; Yanitzi Zuniga; Arellano Ralph; David Gillet; Samantha Olmedo; Robin Woerner
Community partners: Oya Sherrills, Watts Reverence Project Healing Garden; USGBC Urban Landscape, Danielle Killan; Robyn Eason, Senior Sustainability City Planner; STUDIO MLA; Metabolic Studio; Jack Oliva Rendler, Designer; Gregg Wright, Super Shade Structure; Leigh Adams, Artist
Entire Category Premiere
LATTC Premiere Segment
Presentation Materials
CATEGORY: Health
Whole health systems and living. Food, parks, recreation and more.
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