The Resilient Campus: Historic Ecology and Water Conservation at UCLA

Honor Award

Analysis and Planning

Los Angeles, California, United States
Design Workshop, Inc. - Los Angeles
Client: University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

UCLA Landscape Plan

UCLA endeavors to lead revolutionary climate initiatives as well as cultural responses through the manifestation of its built environment.

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The Evolution of UCLA

Years of ecological and cultural influences shaped the campus. The Plan delivers a 30-year vision transitioning UCLA toward a resilient future.

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Traditional Ecological Knowledge

The incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge creates opportunities for the empowerment of indigenous land stewardship practices.

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Existing Conditions

Currently, 29% of campus land is largely occupied by water-demanding turf and exotic species, which are inappropriate for the future climate.

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Process and Engagement

Campus landscape can be instrumental for learning, research, and teaching. It can also be conducive to sociability, equity and diversity.

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Landscape Framework

The plan proposed framework employs three transformative ideas: landscape zones, environmental systems, and design and programming.

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Landscape Zones – Grand Savanna Example

Unique landscape character recommendations and native planting palettes were provided for each landscape zone.

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Landscape Zones – Informed by Historic Ecology and Microclimate

The delineation of zones is defined through the analyses of historic ecology, contemporary microclimates, and native plant communities.

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Environmental Systems – Biodiversity Enhancement Evaluation

The Plan uncovers the UCLA campus landscape’s great potential for biodiversity enhancement.

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Environmental Systems – Linked to Regional Context

Pioneering strategies established in the Los Angeles Biodiversity Index, the Plan sets up a model for biodiversity enhancement in the region.

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Design and Programming – Place Type Development Process

The team categorized the campus into fourteen place types, each with their own programmatic purpose, spatial experience, and aesthetic qualities.

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Design and Programming – Integrated Strategies For Key Design Areas

Specific strategies are presented through conceptual design of selected key areas, which establish a basis of design for future implementation.

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Powell Library Plaza Design Study

The proposed plaza repurposes an existing driveway into a plaza event space and a pedestrian corridor, integrating featured native plantings.

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Gateway Fountain Conversion Design Study

Serving as a demonstration project, the design presents strategies to convert an abandoned gateway fountain into a 100% native planting bed.

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A 30 Year Vision

The Plan sets up a 30-year vision with measurable outcomes, using total asset management concept to guide current and future landscape.

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“

The Resilient Campus notably blends historical insights with innovative water conservation techniques to dramatically reduce water usage, setting a benchmark for campus landscapes nationwide. By marrying environmental sensitivity with functional aesthetics, this project exemplifies the transformative impact that thoughtful landscape architecture can have on both community and environment.

”

- 2024 Awards Jury

Project Credits

Kurt Culbertson, FASLA, RLA, FAICP, LEED AP, Principal - Design Workshop, Inc.

Michael Albert, FASLA, PLA, AICP LEED® AP, Principal Lead Designer - Design Workshop

Jason Ficht, AICP CUD, Project Director - Design Workshop, Inc.

Xiaojian Fan, ASLA, RLA, LEED GA, Project Manager - Design Workshop, Inc.

Julia Prince, Landscape Designer - Design Workshop, Inc.

Chen Liu, Landscape Designer - Design Workshop, Inc.

Ben Reinert, Landscape Designer - Design Workshop, Inc.

Corinne Odom, Planner - Design Workshop, Inc.

Patrick Quigley, IALD, Lighting Designer - Design Workshop, Inc.

Ian McConnel, Signage and Wayfinding - Design Workshop, Inc.

Rex Koo, Xinyu Li, Awards Assistance - Design Workshop, Inc.

Isaac Brown, Stillwater Sciences, Ecology and Restoration

Carol Bornstein, Horticulture and Native Plants

Ted Lubeshkoff, JTL Consultants, Tree Risk Assessment

Peter Hendrickson, University of California, Los Angles (UCLA), Associate Vice Chancellor for Design & Construction, Capital Programs; Co-Chair Landscape and Ecology Task Force

Justin Wisor, University of California, Los Angeles, Director, Custodial and Grounds, Facilities Mangement; Co-Chair Landscape and Ecology Task Force

Stephanie Landregan, University of California, Los Angeles, Program Director, UCLA Landscape Architecture Program, Extension; Program Director, UCLA Horticulture and Gardening Program Extension

Nurit Katz, University of California, Los Angeles, Chief Sustainability Officer

Bonny Bentzin, University of California, Los Angles, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer

Project Statement

California, like all the West, faces mounting pressures to reduce water use. Campuses are hubs for innovation that can lead revolutionary climate initiatives and catalyze cultural shifts through the manifestation of their built environments. The UCLA Landscape Plan delivers a 30-year vision with measurable outcomes, targeting 31.4 million gallons of irrigation water saving annually and an overall 65% reduction in turf areas. Informed by historic ecology and traditional ecological knowledge, the Plan envisions an integrated landscape framework, encompassing three transformative ideas: landscape zones, environmental systems, and design and programming. It charts the course for UCLA to become a model for the next generation of campuses.

Project Narrative

The Evolution of UCLA and Future Resilient Campus

Facing severe drought, campuses in California need to shrink their water use. UCLA endeavors to be a leader in the transformation of university campuses toward resiliency. Constraint by its physical footprint, this prestigious campus strains to accommodate an increasing student population. UCLA must reimagine its iconic campus landscape to meet evolving demographics needs while honoring historic landscape and indigenous culture.

Years of ecological and cultural influences shaped the campus and created classical landscapes representing a park-like setting. Currently, 29% of campus land is largely occupied by water-demanding turf and exotic species. The Plan delivers a 30-year vision transitioning UCLA toward a resilient future. It targets 31.4 million gallons of irrigation water saving annually and an overall 65% reduction in turf areas.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Sitting on the ancestral homeland of the Gabrieleno/Tongva people, UCLA collaborated with the Tribal partners to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into the Landscape Plan. Featured strategies include identifying spaces on campus for indigenous land stewardship and placing interpretive signage for Tongva plants.

Process and Engagement

Engagement called upon a rich body of stakeholders to consider the campus’s role as a living laboratory. Contributors to the Plan include student groups, ecological, horticultural and watershed consultants; researchers and faculty; indigenous partners; as well as campus communities at large. The Plan contends that a landscape represented by drought-tolerant native ecology can also be one that is instrumental for learning, research, and teaching; and that is conducive to sociability, equity and diversity.

Landscape Framework

Historic ecology provides a useful guide for future ecosystem services and biodiversity enhancements. Along with data-driven analyses of the existing natural, built, and cultural features, the Plan envisions a landscape framework encompassing three transformative ideas: landscape zones, environmental systems, and design and programming.

Landscape Zones: The Plan identifies four landscape zones, including Grand Savanna, Alluvial Corridor, Urban Canyon, and Hill District. The delineation of zones is defined through the analyses of historic ecology, contemporary microclimates, and native plant communities.

Environmental Systems: The Plan reveals the campus landscape’s potential for biodiversity enhancement through a campus-wide network of high-quality habitat patches and corridors. It targets 30% of the total campus land designated for biodiversity enhancement, broadening Los Angeles County’s region-wide biodiversity enhancement effort.

Design and Programming: The Plan makes systematic design and programming recommendations through the development of a place type framework. Specific strategies are presented through conceptual design and programming of selected key areas, which establish a basis of design for future implementation.

Phasing and Total Asset Management

The Plan provided short-term and long-term implementation strategies and laid out next steps which address multiple audiences. The team introduced the concept of total asset management to measure the value of the current and future landscapes, guiding the University to manage landscape improvements under an actionable schedule and with coordinated funding resources.