Franklin Ivar Park

Franklin Ivar Park

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority transformed a vacant and deteriorated site into a multiple-benefit natural park with an amphitheater, nature trails, adventure play area, interpretive elements to educate users about natural resources, picnic area, and art plaza for community gathering and interaction. The park features all California-native drought-tolerant plants which provide habitat for local wildlife, shade, and oxygen and remove pollutants from the air to reduce the adverse impacts of global warming.  This project also added much-needed park space to Los Angeles, a park-poor city. The project’s close proximity to nearby public and private schools and apartments ensures that a good majority both youth and adults are able to access and play in the park. Studio-MLA found historical maps showing a creek running through the site, and used that as a point of departure to design the park. On the upper hills we created a forest to help with air quality adjacent to the freeway. Boulders tumble down the slope and carve a conceptual creek into the playground area and the canyon (a sedimentary wall where gold can be found!) before entering the city storm drain. Native plants follow the flow from mountain to grassland to the urban landscape. Around this main spine we articulated the programming: amphitheater, demonstration garden, picnic area and art plaza. A $2 million Proposition 84 Stormwater grant funded the park.