Natural History Museum

South Pavillion

Client: Matt Construction Corporation

Location: Los Angeles, California

Landscape Architect: Mia Lehrer & Associates

Putting more "natural" into natural history.  Matt Construction asked us to team with them to help them convert vast expanses of asphalt and concrete into educational gardens, greenscapes and exhibits at the Natural History Museum. What could be a more natural fit? As part of this, we handcrafted a "living wall" utilizing stone handpicked and shipped from Montana. These stones were cut, fitted, spalled and sanded on site to create Mia Lehrer's vision for a more natural habitat. The project utilized hundreds of individual specific species of California native plants to attract insects, lizards, birds and other wildlife. (This, in turn, would attract more human beings.) The architect's vision called for a  memorable hands-on natural exhibit, so we put our hands -- and hearts -- into it.