Situated in amidst a highly dense, urban backdrop, the Children’s Institute Inc. (CII) helps more than 5,000 children and families. This inviting, bright, secure, family-friendly space, in one of the most distressed communities in Los Angeles, is an award-winning design by Koning Eizenberg Architecture.

We were charged to sensitively enhance and expand the previous exterior work from Phase I. While the exterior space was not large in size, it was significant in purpose. We thoughtfully crafted a design that softened the building’s entry by capturing the parking lot and transforming it into a citrus garden. Vertical gardens of vines and vine planted walls provide opportunities for incorporating planting into otherwise dense urban environs. Children and families now enter CII by walking through a citrus grove and herb garden into the building, setting the mood of the experience.

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