A field of asphalt parking lots and airplane tie-down areas is now a sustainable community recreation resource. AHBE | MIG helped Santa Monica develop its first new park in two decades, complete with soccer/rugby fields, picnic areas, jogging paths, playground and dog park. The park’s design and materials reflects the adjacent Santa Monica Municipal Airport.

The airport also presented a key challenge because its stormwater run-off contributed to annual flooding downstream. The entire eight-acre park is permeable, incorporating sustainable design elements like infiltration beds and permeable paving to capture and filter stormwater, and trees and other plant materials to contribute to the City’s biodiversity. Benches and other site furniture were made from recycled materials.

As the project lead, AHBE | MIG provided planning and programming, schematic design and design development, community outreach and construction administration and documentation. 

Airport Park been recognized with awards for civic design from the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Los Angeles Business Council.