The Los Angeles River has long been more than a flood control channel -- it's a community lifeline, an ecological corridor, and one of the city's most exciting opportunities for transformation. But revitalizing it is no small feat, especially as climate change raises the stakes on flood protection.

USC Associate Professor Alexander Robinson and his team are tackling this challenge in a way that puts people at the center. Rather than leaving engineering decisions to technical experts alone, they've built tools that invite designers, artists, agency staff, and community members into the process. Quite literally around the same table.

At the heart of the project is a 60-foot physical model of the river, housed in a lab right next to the LA River itself. Paired with an augmented reality interface, it lets participants see how different design choices affect flood behavior, habitat, and spatial form -- all at once, all in real time. It's part science lab, part community space, and now we have the privilege of touring it.

The team is focused on a 60-acre stretch near Taylor Yard, widely considered the crown jewel of river revitalization, where a tangle of constraints (contamination, utilities, multiple landowners, and uncharted flood dynamics) had stalled progress. Through this integrated approach, three viable design directions emerged, proving that bringing more voices into the room doesn't slow things down. It actually opens up possibilities.

Come see it for yourself. Join us for a tour of the LA River lab with Professor Robinson. You'll get an up-close look at the physical river model, the augmented reality tools, and the work shaping the future of one of LA's most important landscapes. We'd love to see you there.

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L.A. FORUM & USC LA RIVER MODELING LAB PRESENT: REIMAGINING THE LA RIVER, TOGETHER