Developed in the Interpolated Ecologies studio, the project reimagined the Los Angeles River through material research, generative AI, computational modelling, and physical prototyping.
Year
2025-26
Category
Ecological Urbanism + Landscape Infrastructure
Tools
Rhino3d, AI-generated workflows
Flood as Fiesta reimagines the Los Angeles River as a seasonal civic landscape where flooding is embraced as an ecological and cultural event rather than treated solely as a threat. Responding to the concrete channelization imposed after the destructive 1938 flood, the project transforms existing flood-control infrastructure into a multi-layered system of housing, recreation, food production, habitat restoration, and public gathering.
The proposal works with the river’s wet and dry cycles through transformable spaces: basketball courts become reflection pools, concrete terraces support flood watching and seasonal gardens, and elevated housing anchors existing communities while remaining above the flood line.
During the annual flood cycle, children mark predicted water levels using nutrient-rich eco-chalk, which dissolves into the river and supports the germination of native poppies. As the landscape blooms, the community gathers for a seasonal fiesta, dispersing seeds through movement and participation.
Rather than erasing the concrete channel, the project treats it as a substrate for new ecological and social systems. Through heterogeneous housing, productive landscapes, public infrastructure, and community-led environmental practices, Flood as Fiesta reframes the river as a living civic resource, one that celebrates seasonal transformation while addressing ecological recovery, spatial justice, and displacement.
