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The Future of the Public Realm

FRI-FS-12: Celebrating LA’s Alternative Public Space: From the Macabre to the Historic

Friday, September 18, 2026
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM PT
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Field Session Departure Area (South Lobby)
Ticket Purchase Required Extensive Walking
3.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW
Ticket Price: $115 per person
Open space in Los Angeles is at a premium, forcing Angelenos to get creative to access green space. This session explores how two unique LA landmarks—Hollywood Forever Cemetery and Barnsdall Art Park—have adapted to community needs and serve as alternative public spaces for the city.

Includes transportation, entrance fees. Extensive walking.

Accessibility: This session will include walking on grass, steep grades, and some stairs, particularly at Barnsdall Art Park.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Examine a general history of urban development in Los Angeles and history of each site.
  • Analyze how sites like cemeteries and heritage sites work to integrate tourism and culture into the urban fabric and landscape of the city.
  • Learn firsthand examples of how place is conveyed through preservation, advocacy, and storytelling.
  • Examine unique defining characteristics of each site and gain insight into possible patterns or spatial relationships that could be integrated into contemporary public space designs.