BRINGING NATURE TO THE CITY
Vista Hermosa Natural Park, Los Angeles, California
BRINGING NATURE TO THE CITY
Vista Hermosa Natural Park
Los Angeles, California | 2010 | 10.5 Acres
Design Team: Studio-MLA, KPFF, ERW Design, JFAK Architects, M-E Engineers, Brett Goldstone, Art Share
Client: Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and Los Angeles Unified School District
Photos: Tom Lamb
Vista Hermosa is a 10-acre urban nature park located at the edge of a dense residential neighborhood just north of downtown Los Angeles. As its name translates, this hillside park provides “beautiful views” of downtown Los Angeles and a natural experience for those who have limited access to the city’s natural surroundings. Studio-MLA worked closely with complex stakeholders including the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, Los Angeles Unified School District, the local communities and City of Los Angeles officials. Community workshops shaped the park’s programming to include an informal grotto, an adventure play area, a system of trails, picnic areas, an open meadow, and sports field.
The park exemplifies sustainable design and management. Its sculpted topography retains, treats, and captures 95% of rainwater that falls on the site in a system that includes permeable paving, green roofs, a grassy meadow, biofiltration swales, and a 30,000-gallon underground storage tank connected to the irrigation system.
