THE PLANT LIBRARY

A detailed site plan of an urban development, including residential buildings, sports courts, green spaces, a water canal, and transportation infrastructure.

A top-down map of an urban area showing streets, buildings, and green spaces, including pathways and a water body on the right side.

A digital map of a complex building layout with multiple rooms outlined in green, oriented at an angle.

A colorful map of the RiverLink development project showing various districts such as riverView heights, cityLink plaza, riverLink gateway, current park, riverLink village, government district, and arts district, with roads and surrounding structures.

This studio was split into two parts. The first half of the semester was a group master planning project along the LA River. In the second half, we individually developed a block of the site in further detail. Above is the master plan my team designed with a massive raised platform spanning the train tracks, allowing access to the river. (it was always my opinion that the platform was far too big but I had to make compromises with my team) Below is a diagrammatic section through the platform.

Sectional architectural drawing of a cross-sectioned outdoor park with trees, walkways, and multiple levels, extending over a large urban area.

A site plan of an urban area showing a central park with water features, surrounding buildings, a river on the right, and a transportation hub with a dotted red line indicating a proposed route.

cross-section of a modern building with underground parking, green space, and multiple floors with windows and rooftop area

In the second half of the semester, I focused on improving the platform, developing an environmental/landscape strategy, and designing a programmable building that connects the ground to the platform.

Diagram of a bridge structure crossing over a continuous landscape with labels for 'Bridge' and 'Continuous Landscape'

Floor plan of a building showing areas labeled 'administration,' 'research,' 'library,' 'plant library,' 'auditorium,' 'gallery,' 'to platform,' and multiple foyers and circular circulation paths.

A 3D layout diagram of a building's interior spaces with numbered sections and a legend identifying each space, including cores, elevators, stairs, various rooms, and facilities, in different colors.

Floor plan legend with color-coded labels for foyer, circulation, library, food/drink, gallery, administration, research/workspace, auditorium, and storage.

Diagram of a stormwater management system showing underground and surface swales, with buildings and pathways.

A site plan of wild meadows area featuring a rectangular green space with trees, surrounded by pathways and a building with a red section.

Diagram of a building plan with surrounding water features and landscape elements.

Site plan illustrating building layout, pathways, grass, trees, and small ponds in landscape design.

Once I had a concept for both the building’s massing and the site’s ecology, I began to program the building as a plant library.

The Plant Library is both an ecological research institute and a public space where visitors can learn about native plants and borrow seeds to start their own garden.

A detailed architectural site plan showing outdoor areas with labeled sections including seed libraries, soil beds, swale water, and an indoor building with multiple rooms, stairs, seating, and various features in a landscape setting.

A colored sketch of an outdoor city scene during rain. It features a pathway running alongside a small pond with lily pads, bordered by leafy shrubs and trees. In the background, there are modern buildings with balconies, and rain is visibly falling throughout the scene.

A hand-drawn sketch of an indoor space, possibly a gallery or public building, featuring a person in the foreground, a large circular sculpture, windows, stairs, and an exit door.

A conceptual sketch of a modern outdoor public space featuring water pools with lily pads, trees, benches, and structural columns under a large shaded canopy.

Sketch of an interior hallway with large glass windows showing a landscape of trees, hills, and water outside. There are two people inside the building, one walking toward the windows and another walking on stairs outside.

If you’d like to see more of this project click below.

Sketch of a modern multi-story office building with large glass windows, surrounded by trees, a pond, and landscaped greenery. There are pathways and a few people walking outside.

Architectural floor plan of a building with interior rooms, outdoor seating, and landscaped garden areas.

Architectural blueprint or floor plan of a building and outdoor landscape with trees, pathways, and seating areas.

Architectural floor plan of a building with outdoor areas, parking lot, and surrounding landscape features.

Top-down architectural floor plan of a building with a driveway, parking spaces, and interior rooms on a gray background.