A Walk in the Park: Tongva Park in Santa Monica

Source: SK staff

A Walk in the Park: Tongva Park in Santa Monica

by SweisKloss
June 25, 2020

Those visiting downtown Santa Monica for the first time may not know that along the beautiful oceanfront and across from the historic pier is a lush, 6.2-acre park called Tongva. Designed by award-winning firm James Corner Field Operations—known for designing NYC’s The High Line, one of my favorite must-see places in Manhattan—Tongva Park has been recognized for its landscape, structures, horticulture, and sustainability. The SweisKloss office is mere blocks from the park. I vividly remember when the public-funded project was completed seven years ago and being really happy that the massive parking lot, a bit of an eye sore in the middle of a great location, by City Hall was transformed into Tongva Park + Ken Genser Square. The arroyo-inspired plan of the park was a much more welcoming sight and a great place for locals and visitors to relax by the winding paths and gentle slopes where plant life (more than 170 species) and various trees, including a Moreton Bay fig tree, grow. Views of the ocean can be seen from the steel observation structures, which remind me of graphic cocoons. The amount of care that went into the sustainable plan of the park is impressive. Soil, tested for safety, from local construction sites was used for the infill and terraforming. The custom furniture was made from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified Jarrah wood. Existing trees were protected or transplanted. And plants were and still are irrigated by water from the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility. In a 2015 Los Angeles Times interview with James Corner, he said, “A well-designed park, especially one that feels unique and special to its place, helps to enrich a sense of community. In Santa Monica, Tongva Park has become the beating heart of the community...It appeals to individuals and families, to young and to old, to everyday uses and to special events and festivals. It’s instilled a new pride-of-place and created a new center in the psyche of the community.” I couldn’t agree more.