The L.A. River is a 51-mile cement conduit that winds from the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains through Los Angeles to the ocean in Long Beach. The river’s desolate appearance has provided a dramatic backdrop for scenes in many Hollywood movies, but it’s unlikely to be described as a work of art; the river was lined with cement for flood control, not beauty. If you tried to picture the exact opposite of the L.A. River, you might imagine something that winds and flows, with lots of reflected light—something like the artwork of Frank Gehry, who designed the Disney concert hall, the Bilbao Guggenheim and other magnificent buildings. The disparate visions of the cement-lined river and Gehry’s curvilinear facades have come together in what may be a defining moment for the L.A. River’s future.
It was a surprise to many when the L.A. Times revealed in August that for almost a year, Gehry had quietly been working on a plan to restore the river. The architect was recruited by the L.A. River Revitalization Corporation, a nonprofit group founded by the city to coordinate the river’s restoration. In addition to identifying ways the river can be made available for public use without affecting its flood control functionality, Gehry is investigating how the city can reclaim some of the stormwater it carries. Millions of gallons of runoff flow through the L.A. River and into the ocean each year, and recapturing it would help the city battle its current drought.
Many people, including Mayor Eric Garcetti, are excited about the possibilities Gehry brings to the river revitalization project, but local activists have raised concerns. The most prominent critic is Lewis MacAdams, founder of Friends of the Los Angeles River, who questions the project’s initial secrecy and the necessity for a top-down plan that affects the whole river.
No details have been released about Gehry’s plans, but Gehry Partners has begun a data-driven analysis of the entire L.A. River. Although the project got off to a secretive start, the L.A. River Revitalization Corps is taking steps to involve the public in the process going forward, such as developing an online platform where people can get involved and share their thoughts. Visit larivercorp.com for more information.
This article is a part of the Transformation Issue – December 2015/January 2016 issue of Whole Life Times.