As a catalyst to change behavior, the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works’ bureaus of Sanitation and Engineering developed the Los Angeles Environmental Learning Center (ELC) to educate children and adults about sustainable water and solid resources management. The ELC’s vision was to build on the success of the city’s environmental education programs and provide an engaging, dynamic, and interactive environment to teach students about the urban water cycle in the City’s watersheds (drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater), the solid resources program (reduce, reuse and recycle), and the importance of the students’ individual and aggregate commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship. Landscape components were designed to maximize efficient water use and management including stormwater runoff capture and percolation through permeable pavers and a vegetated swale, recycled water use and smart controls for irrigation, a green roof system, and a constructed wetland.
Hyperion Learning Center
This facility in Huntington Beach is an innovative training center that develops the learning and technical skills of both cadets and students by providing an environment that best balance quality enhancements of both building design and landscape.
LCI achieved this goal by creating a park scenario for passive recreation, biddle and grinder courses for physical training activities and memorial as a focal point next to the building’s main entry. A number of prominent trees were protected through strict construction and management procedures while applicable stormwater techniques such as Modular Wetland Biofiltration systems were considered for the project.