Tongva Park Named One of Six Finalists For Urban Open Space Award

Santa Monica’s Tongva Park & Ken Genser Square project has been named one of six finalists for the 2015 Urban Open Space Award presented by the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

The global award, presented annually since 2010, recognizes and celebrates successful urban open destinations that enrich and revitalize their surrounding communities.

According to the award submission, Tongva Park & Ken Genser Square “embody a new type of urban landscape that is active, innovative, resource-conscious and natural.”

OTL constructed multiple water features for the 6.2-acre park, one of which thematically and visually connects Ken Genser Square, considered the front lawn for Santa Monica’s City Hall, with Tongva Park, located across the street.

Master designed by James Corner Field Operations with water features designed by Fluidity Design Consultants, the project was inspired by the Southern California arroyo landscape of washes and ravines that once defined the site. Through a series of braided pathways, gardens and active spaces, the project symbolically interconnects the center of Santa Monica while it pays tribute to the culture of the indigenous Tongva people.

The winning project will be announced at the ULI Fall Meeting, which is set for October 5–8 in San Francisco, Calif.

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