THUR-FS-02: Landscape for Veterans: Bridging a Human-centered Habitat and Native Ecosystem

Field Session Leader(s)

• 

  Dana Bauer (she/her/hers)

  Partner and Design Principal
  Elysian Landscapes
  Los Angeles, CA
• 

  Judy Kameon

  Founding Principal
  Elysian Landscapes
  Los Angeles, California

Field Session Presenter(s)

• CW

  Craig Webb, AIA

  partner
  Gehry Partners
  Los angeles, CA
• SY

  Samantha Yu

  Thomas Safran & Associates
• TB

  Tess Banko

  Community Director
  The Veterans Collective

West LA VA Campus/ Elysian Landscapes

Tour a newly opened supportive housing project on the historic West LA VA campus, an assemblage of structures designed by Frank Gehry. The landscape design takes an approach of resilience through abundance, equally serving the population of formerly homeless veterans and the native arroyo habitat, both vulnerable and underserved communities.

Includes transportation. Moderate walking.

Learning Outcomes:

• Evaluate how landscape-driven site planning can support trauma-informed design goals such as safety, dignity, autonomy, and social connection within supportive housing environments for formerly homeless populations.
• Analyze how horticultural therapy principles can be integrated into everyday landscape experiences—through planting design, sensory engagement, and circulation systems—to promote mental restoration and whole-health outcomes.
• Identify strategies for creating hybrid ecological systems that balance native habitat restoration, climate responsiveness, and high-performance planting to enhance biodiversity while addressing long-term maintenance and operational needs.
• Assess how interdisciplinary collaboration translates therapeutic, community-centered design intent into constructible, durable landscapes within complex institutional and supportive housing settings.