The forest Supervisor’s office is physically separated from the Angeles National Forest it manages. The new landscape brings a sense of the forest and terrain into its urban site, which is right next to the busy I-210 Freeway. The design concept builds on the existing resources of the site and celebrates the unique character of the mountain landscape.

The plant palette uses only natives found in the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Gabriel River watershed such as Valley Oak, white alder, yarrow and California sagebrush. Boulders, large shade trees, plants, natural paving materials and park-like furniture soften and enhance the newly created space between the rehabilitated warehouse and the new headquarters building. Small pedestrian bridges at building entries lead to the central employees courtyard, which is filled with native flora. And a dry creek bed, created with decomposed granite, gravel and cobblestones, captures and directs runoff from the buildings and the parking lot as it winds its way to a 2,000 square foot cobbled rock recharging basin at the facility’s entry. Water is returned to the earth as it percolates down. 

Because federal buildings require protective “hardening,” strategically placed large natural boulders and decorative stonewalls protect the building from vehicle intrusion. 

MIG provided site conceptual plans, construction documents and construction supervision.