Environmental Planning Studio
March 2026
Los Angeles, California
Through decades of human-engineered interventions, Los Angeles has focused on taming its hazard-prone landscape shaped by geological forces. In response, Los Angeles has constructed a network of concrete channels, debris basins, and dams in an effort to hold back debris, mud, and flooding. Within the San Gabriel Mountains, communities are exposed to ‘residual risk’ within this engineered system. In this report, we propose alternative futures for: long-term planning for residual risk, multi-modal trail connectivity, and restoring a channelized creek into ecological function.