A River Runs Through Crocker Plaza

For this project, we were asked to insert a “native garden” of our choosing into a ‘destroyed’ Crocker Plaza on the USC campus. For my proposed “garden”, I drew inspiration from photos immediately following the 1938 LA river flood, the shapes formed from this destruction, countless stories of communities coming together after disaster, and descriptions of a previously lush LA river from the 1700’s. Through these sources of inspiration, I designed a new ‘river’ that cuts through campus and produces an amphitheater-like seating structure and an extensive riparian area. This space provides students with an immersive and engaging experience through the sounds of running water, ample shade, and space for unstructured rock art.