Innovation in the public realm relies on acknowledging and reinterpreting the past to address urgent environmental, social, and spatial challenges. Using the LA River as a testing ground for deployable, community-driven infrastructure, this project draws from the adaptive principles of the Metabolist movement to propose a modular system of small, medium, and large-scale interventions. These combine permanent and contextual elements, tailored to the needs of each river segment. The design fosters public engagement, resilience, and cultural expression—transforming the river from purely infrastructure into a dynamic public realm that bridges communities, supports local economies, and reimagines urban waterways.
Metabolizing the LA River
