Wattles Garden Park Improvement Project

Los Angeles, California

In collaboration with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, Gruen Associates refurbished the 20-acre site into a beautifully landscaped and unified park setting that is bounded by Curson Avenue to the west and the trails of Runyon Canyon to the east. The scope of work entailed designing underground retention tanks as part of a drainage control system to prevent seasonal flooding of the park. New native landscaping was specified for the slopes surrounding the park and along a promenade to help control erosion that was threatening to wash away the entry path to the canyon trails.

A defining element of the refurbished park compound is the new plaza and retaining walls designed to organically blend into the character of the existing historical structures. New and upgraded landscaping and hardscape along the promenade, plaza and park visually unify and enhance the refurbished park. Trees and plants were carefully selected for their drought tolerance, maintenance and adaptability to the existing soil types as well as for their shading and aesthetic properties.