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PEACE4KIDS
Agua Dulce, CA
Client: Peace4Kids
Embedded in the native landscape of LA’s high desert near Agua Dulce, Peace 4 Kids, a grassroots, non-profit organization, seeks to create a nature retreat for youth in foster care. The 20-acre campus, nestled discretely within the Angeles National Forest, offers youth an opportunity to rejuvenate away from the city and connect to the outdoors, benefiting from fresh air and dark skies. RELM’s design celebrates the site’s topography, beginning with a switchback arrival sequence ascending through the natural landscape and three individually programmed courtyards. Each offers commanding views of the surrounding mountains, and importantly, different ways to socially interact, from passive to collaborative encounters.
HEALING TRAUMA THROUGH AND IN NATURE
Grounded in the guiding ethos of nature’s restorative powers, the 20-acre campus is designed to be light on the ground and impactful in restoring mind and spirit. The building 11.000 SF building program will include an array of community spaces: a large shared kitchen, common dining and living areas, a gym with an indoor basketball court. Outdoor programs will include a swimming pool and outdoor kitchen. The site will be connected with hiking trails that feature a garden, an orchard and a small animal habitat.
