FREMONT WELLNESS CENTER & COMMUNITY GARDEN

This 1.5 acre project is located in a south Los Angeles neighborhood with one of the highest rates of poverty in the city. It is also located adjacent to Fremont High School, whose student population has an obesity rate well over 40%. To help address these issues, the Los Angeles Unified School District teamed with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust and the University Muslim Medical Association to develop a healthy oasis. We created a refuge where the community has access to a health clinic, a place for large gatherings and markets, an enormous fruit orchard, community gardens and educational gardens where students learn how to cultivate vegetables and learn about employment opportunities in the food industry. We surrounded the site with plants that attract bees and birds which help to pollinate the crops. A grove of sycamore trees provides shade for community events. A garden planted with medicinal plants has meandering paths through it with quiet places to sit. A ‘lawn’ is planted with low water use materials to demonstrate alternatives to turf grass. This project represents an optimistic approach to inner city parks that could be replicated throughout the city. It was created while at Pamela Burton and Company as Director of Design.

Recognition
Westside Prize Award
Westside Urban Forum 2014

Location
Los Angeles, CA

Team
Los Angeles Neighborhood Trust

Photography
Jack Coyier