Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project?

We were awarded this commission through two separate RFQ's; one for the conceptual design that had a public outreach component, and the other for the design and construction of the project. The requirement for two RFQ's occurred because of separate funding sources for the different phases. After completing the conceptual design of the project, we were informed that the remaining funds for the design and construction could only be obtained through a new RFQ due to the public nature of the project. We found ourselves, once again, competing with many high profile, talented firms in order to maintain design control of our project. We were fortunate to be awarded the second contract.

Can you describe your design process for the building?

The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook is a 57-acre urban state park located 500 feet above the city in the heart of Los Angeles. The park includes a new 10,000 square foot visitor center, observation deck and viewing areas, hiking trails, picnic areas and restored natural landscape. The turbulent history of the Baldwin Hills site, from oil wells to plans for massive residential development, stripped this mountain of most of its natural past. A critical part of the design process was to define the period that represented the site in its natural state and to create a suitable approach to the restoration of the site. It was also important to understand the history of land development in Los Angeles in order to better understand the symbolic value of this verdant mountain in the midst of a dense city.

The principal goal of the Master Plan is to preserve and enhance the unique qualities of this expansive site through the restoration of its natural ecosystems, creating a harmonious balance between community recreational activities and the natural systems within the site. The interpretive message of the Visitor Center is to foster environmental awareness by understanding the impact development has had on our land.

The Visitor center is tucked unobtrusively into a hollow near the summit of the park, its curving forms emulating the sculptural landforms of the site. Large polished concrete walls retain the hillside while floor to ceiling windows open the visitor center towards the landscape and expansive views of the city beyond. The center is comprised of three buildings; the first houses the exhibit space, a small theater, and meeting rooms; the second contains support spaces, bathrooms and a catering kitchen, and the third is an outdoor pavilion for special events that spills out onto an outdoor amphitheater formed from recycled concrete surrounded by landscape exhibits of native plants.

A gently climbing walkway leads visitors from the parking lot towards the Visitor Center and through the interior and exterior exhibit spaces. The path then leads past the outdoor amphitheater and through a series of engineered mounds at the top of the hill towards the overlook. The mounds have been formed to suspend the views of downtown Los Angeles until arrival at the overlook where they are dramatically revealed. 

How does the building relate to contemporary architectural trends, be it sustainability, technology, etc.?

Although California State Parks did not wish to pursue LEED certification as part of the project due to budget constraints, our firm's philosophy is to incorporate sustainable concepts as a normal part of the development process.

An arrangement of long thin buildings with operable windows provides natural cross-ventilation throughout the project while allowing daylight penetration to all interior spaces. Large roof overhangs combined with a northern orientation not only frame panoramic views of the surrounding city, but also serve to minimize cooling loads. Each building is set into the existing hillside with concrete floors and retaining walls functioning as thermal masses to help regulate the indoor environment. In addition, exterior circulation paths that take advantage of the mild climate further reduce the need for mechanical ventilation systems.

Many of the landscape components reflect the same focus for sustainability as the architectural elements. To reduce storm water runoff, permeable paving materials were used in many locations, including the parking lots, and most of the pathways and trails. Gravel wells surround drain inlets at the visitor center, to further encourage storm water infiltration. Headers used to edge the pathways are recycled composite lumber instead of concrete or wood. Pieces of demolished concrete from local sources were recycled as "flagstone" paving, and used to construct benches and climbing stairs. The majority of the softscape is non-irrigated. The plant palette is exclusively native to survive on seasonal rains and replace non-native, invasive species in a historically disturbed site. 

Are there any new/upcoming projects in your office that this building's design and construction has influenced?

We are currently working on the South Campus Student Center at UCLA, an expanded dining facility with spaces for study and social interaction. The 13,000-square foot facility will include a variety of interior and exterior dining areas, several food vendors, a coffee shop and a small convenience store. The building is located in the center of the Court of Sciences and takes advantage of the existing grade difference on site, allowing for the kitchens and support spaces to be tucked under roof gardens, while the dining areas open on grade to exterior dining patios. Due to the project's central location in the quad, all sides of the facility are highly visible, as is the roof from the surrounding buildings. There is no "back door" and the center is approached from all directions. Therefore the facility has been designed as a green pavilion within a garden. Green roofs, trellises and planted walls surround and cover the structure in landscape. The building virtually disappears from above. Landscape and architecture have been conceived as one, blurring the lines between building and garden.

There are many similarities between the two projects and many lessons learned on Baldwin Hills were applied to the Student Center. Both projects were conceived as pavilions in the landscape and both can be approached from all directions, requiring that the buildings feel inviting from all sides. Both projects are dependant on the successful integration of landscape and architecture, with UCLA going one step further with its green roofs and roof gardens. With Baldwin Hills, we learned a great deal about native Southern California plants which assisted us in selecting plants for UCLA that would naturally thrive in this climate. In addition both projects required the selection of materials that can be used seamlessly both inside and outside and are extremely durable and vandal proof. We experimented with several concrete finishes on Baldwin Hills, both for walls and floors, that were applicable to UCLA.

E-mail interview conducted by John Hill