UCLA/Counterforce Lab

The project envisions linking birds and people at the tree level through a series of living public sculptures, restoring fractured wildlife corridors and addressing legacies of environmental injustice in neighborhoods along the southern part of the Los Angeles River. The project augments the UCLA Counterforce 2019 submission for the inaugural Pando Days season, followed by the construction of a prototype Biophilia Treehouse sculpture on a hillside overlooking a lake in Encino. Now the project spreads its wings as it expands its vision with multiple structures across the County, creating a corridor at the cutting edge of public art, ecological restoration, and art + science education. The sculptures are lightweight and scalable and can be imagined as outdoor classrooms at schools, parks and libraries. The Pando Days ’23 project focuses on the strategies, plans, and partnerships needed to replicate the pilot project across the County.

Faculty Lead:
Rebeca Mendez

Students:
Alyssa Davis, Yogan Muller, Eleanor Diamant

Collaborating Partners:
Sisters of Social Service, Yeh Lab, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCLA, UCLA Sustainability

Aligned LA County Sustainability Plan Goals:
Goal 5: Thriving ecosystems, habitats, and biodiversity.

Premiere Segment

Pitch deck