July 11, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Tongva Park Named One Of Six Finalists For Global Award Of Excellence:

The City of Santa Monica and James Corner Field Operations announced that Santa Monica’s Tongva Park/Ken Genser Square Project has been selected as one of six finalists in the Urban Land Institute’s Global Award of Excellence For Urban Open Space.

This is a prestigious annual competition that recognizes outstanding examples of successful large and small-scale public spaces that have enriched and revitalized their surrounding communities.

Santa Monica’s Tongva Park/Ken Genser Square Project was selected based on the fact that the project embodies a new type of urban landscape that is active innovative, resource conscious, and natural.

Shaped by extensive public participation, the design by James Corner Field Operations creates a contemporary and transformative series of gardens and active spaces that symbolically redefine and interconnect the center of Santa Monica.

The project will now compete against other finalist projects in the US, Singapore, and China.

“Tongva Park enjoyed not only an incomparable location but an unprecedented public process. We developed a true community vision for what had been a drab asphalt parking lot,” said Santa Monica Mayor Kevin McKeown. “Working with James Corner Field Operations, and engaging residents and other stakeholders along with our skilled and inspired City staff, we boldly reshaped a new public space that brings our whole Civic Center to life, linking City Hall with the Santa Monica Pier. Watching visitors and families enjoy Tongva Park has been gratifying enough, and our acknowledgement as a finalist in this prestigious global award is an exciting bonus.”

Upon opening in 2013, Tongva Park and Ken Genser Square were an instant hit with the Santa Monica community and tourists from around the world.

The project has received significant acclaim from both industry critics and popular media.

The design for the parks was inspired by the arroyo wash once common in this Southern California region.

Through creative use of space, braided pathways, 18’ high overlooks, and a sustainable plant palette that changes dynamically with the seasons, the parks feel much larger than they are, accommodating a wide range of uses and users on a relatively small footprint of just 7 acres.

“It is extremely significant that Tongva Park has been shortlisted for the very prestigious ULI Award,” said James Corner, internationally-renown designer and head of James Corner Field Operations. “The Park is deserving because it is an exemplary project where extensive public participation helped to shape a beautiful and innovative outcome, and where the surrounding urban fabric has benefited so significantly from this transformation. The Park is today a newly inter-connected center-piece for Santa Monica, both as heartbeat and catalyst for renewal.”

The six finalists were selected from an impressive collection of entries from all corners of the globe. The jury looked at a broad set of criteria that included overall project design and how each project affected or revived its surrounding area, in addition to landscape architecture and urban design.

To be eligible for the competition, an open space project must be used intensively on a daily basis by a broad spectrum of users; promote the physical, social, and economic health of the larger community; and provide lessons, strategies, and techniques that could be used or adapted in other communities. The winning project is scheduled to be announced in October 2015.

For more information on the Tongva Park/Ken Genser Square Project, visit

http://tongvapark.smgov.net/the-project

in News
<>Related Posts

L.A. Louver Marks David Hockney’s 88th with Exhibit

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

Hockney, a British artist born in 1937, gained fame with the British Pop Art movement and later became known for...

Suspect Arrested in Shoe Retail Theft Spree Across LA County

July 11, 2025

July 11, 2025

During the search, police recovered two firearms and a significant quantity of merchandise The Los Angeles Police Department’s Organized Retail...

Suspect Arrested in Santa Monica Pier Arson Incidents

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The suspect, matching video footage from an arcade, was taken into custody Santa Monica Police Department officers arrested a suspect...

SMPD Launch New Recruitment Website Amid High Vacancy Rates

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

The site features multimedia content, including day-in-the-life videos and officer profiles, highlighting the impact of serving the community The Santa...

Father-Daughter Authors to Host Book Signing to Aid Fire-Affected Women

July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025

Ten percent of proceeds from book and art sales will benefit the Pacific Palisades Rebuilding Fund, a nonprofit initiative created...

Metro Reports Crime Drop, Higher Rider Satisfaction, and Progress on Major Projects

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The Authority said the drop in violent incidents—down to the lowest level since May 2019—coincided with more uniformed personnel and...

Santa Monica Joins Regional Lawsuit to Halt Unconstitutional ICE Raids

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The motion to intervene seeks to ensure that Santa Monica and other plaintiff-intervenors can advocate for their residents’ rights in...

Promenade Restaurant Introduces Lunch Menu Set at $18 Per Person

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The fixed $18 price point targets commuters and those seeking a power lunch or a change of scenery The restaurant...

Santa Monica Council Votes in Support of Park-Centric Future at Airport Site

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The decision followed a contentious meeting with over 140 public speakers and more than 1,000 emails received by the council...

Housing for Health Chief Appointed to Lead Unified Homeless Services Department

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

Veteran Housing Advocate to Oversee Streamlined LA County Services The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday confirmed the...

‘Adoptapalooza’ Pet Adoption Festival Returns to Main Street This Weekend

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The free, family-friendly event aims to connect adoptable animals with new owners Green Dog Dental & Veterinary Center will host...

Virtual Town Hall to Discuss Proposed Resilient Rebuilding Authority

July 9, 2025

July 9, 2025

The agency, to be run by political appointees, would manage permitting, development, zoning, and funding, modeled after post-disaster recoveries Los...

New Agenda Coaching: Changing Lives in LA

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Students Work Toward Applied Success with Executive Function Coaching Services The demands of daily routines and studies sometimes bear weight...

Saint Monica Prep Students Win Award for Anti-Street Racing PSA Video

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

The winning public service announcement, titled “Not Worth It,” was highlighted in a post on X by @LADOTofficial  Students from...

Anti-Drunk Driving Resolution Introduced as City Council Honors Late Palisades Teen Killed in Crash

July 8, 2025

July 8, 2025

Levi, who was set to attend the University of Virginia this fall, was killed by a drunk driver on May...