It is our passion to design compelling and evocative spaces and places that stir the imagination and stand as precedents of design excellence.
In our approach, we blend innovation, sustainability strategies, ecology and biology, economics, architectural detailing, engineering, and identity of place - all in one discourse.
We work across the globe, conceptualizing and realizing public and private projects of all sizes. These include small intimate gardens, residential developments, private estates, urban master plans, public realms, parks, streetscapes, waterfronts, commercial developments, institutional campuses, the outdoor spaces of museums and recreational facilities, as well as other civic and cultural destinations.
Our attitude is collaborative, positive and optimistic, and we truly work across disciplinary boundaries while embracing unrestrained creativity.
For us, every project deserves a holistic approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome - socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally. We also consider what our design will mean for the adjacent context, as often our projects are found within historic settings. What impact will our design have on the identity of the place as a whole? What is the experience? And most important, how will our design work for people?
As dreamers and pragmatists, we are driven to come up with bold ideas that are rooted in functionality, meticulous detailing, and constructibility.
Our objective is to create designs which have embedded immersive and alluring qualities - that are refreshing, comfortable, and welcoming - spaces that are original and have never been seen before, that exude an inherent positive spirit and carry elements of surprise.
Our goal is always to establish an appropriate and unique character, ultimately resulting in a place that is memorable, frequently used, and loved.
Client: The City of Glendale - Partners: BuroHappold
Verdugo Wash - Glendale
Project Info
The Verdugo Wash is a 9-mile-long concrete-encased tributary of the Los Angeles River, running through and for a large part, bisecting the City of Glendale. Commissioned by the City of Glendale, !melk developed a Vision Plan for the full length of the Wash.
The main objective of the project was to ultimately create an invaluable open space amenity for the community that both improves connectivity and reinstates a local ecology, all while maintaining its hydrological function. !melk’s vision for the Verdugo Wash will help transform the utilitarian design of the wash into a significant addition to City of Glendale’s parks system. The original tributary path is maintained, biodiversity will be reactivated, and the community will be reconnected with an active transportation corridor through a series of pathways that offer an entirely new circulation experience offering one-of-a-kind, spectacular views towards the mountains and hills.
A year-long community engagement effort with numerous outreach events, led the design team to reinforce specific community goals for the project, such as: heightened health & wellness; increased park & open space; more opportunities for recreation and programming; enhanced access & connectivity; identifying land use and economic development opportunities; regenerate ecology and increase wildlife habitats.
!melk’s Verdugo Wash Visioning builds upon strategies identified in the Greener Glendale Plan and other existing efforts such as environmental impact reports, the Upper LA River Tributaries plan, and other related City of Glendale goals and key performance targets.
The Verdugo Wash is a 9-mile-long concrete-encased tributary of the Los Angeles River, running through and for a large part, bisecting the City of Glendale. Commissioned by the City of Glendale, !melk developed a Vision Plan for the full length of the Wash.
The main objective of the project was to ultimately create an invaluable open space amenity for the community that both improves connectivity and reinstates a local ecology, all while maintaining its hydrological function. !melk’s vision for the Verdugo Wash will help transform the utilitarian design of the wash into a significant addition to City of Glendale’s parks system. The original tributary path is maintained, biodiversity will be reactivated, and the community will be reconnected with an active transportation corridor through a series of pathways that offer an entirely new circulation experience offering one-of-a-kind, spectacular views towards the mountains and hills.
A year-long community engagement effort with numerous outreach events, led the design team to reinforce specific community goals for the project, such as: heightened health & wellness; increased park & open space; more opportunities for recreation and programming; enhanced access & connectivity; identifying land use and economic development opportunities; regenerate ecology and increase wildlife habitats.
!melk’s Verdugo Wash Visioning builds upon strategies identified in the Greener Glendale Plan and other existing efforts such as environmental impact reports, the Upper LA River Tributaries plan, and other related City of Glendale goals and key performance targets.