STORMWATER WORKSHOP #1, AN ORAL HISTORY
Rainbow Canyon Test Plot
DATE: December 07 2025
“This event felt genuinely healing and grounding for me. The mix of tired muscles, dirt on our hands from pulling weeds, and easy conversations with people who’d been strangers a few minutes earlier made being outside feel quietly joyful in a way I didn’t expect. It was really lovely to see Rainbow Canyon so alive. I also got to put my architecture school education to use by building a birdhouse with friends. It took all three of us, which felt both grounding and humbling, and I really hope the birds end up loving its slightly crooked, handmade charm.”
“Presenting our check dam proposal at the Test Plot community event on Sunday was one of the highlights of my semester. After weeks of finals and studio deadlines, it felt refreshing to step outside the classroom and talk with people who actually live near Rainbow Canyon. I enjoyed explaining our ideas and hearing how residents experience flooding, erosion, and changes in the landscape firsthand. Their reactions were thoughtful and encouraging, and it was exciting to see that people were genuinely interested in how design could improve the canyon. The experience reminded me why architecture and landscape design matter beyond drawings and models̶they can become part of real conversations and real places. It was also a nice break from academic pressure to engage with the community in a relaxed, open setting and see our work spark curiosity and discussion.”
“What a long and fruitful day. I had such a great experience not only being able to see our map sign-in board with the diversity of visitors from areas around LA, SoCal, and internationally, but to get my hands dirty and meet new people. The best moments were when I’d see an untouched pile of dirt and a plant besides it, signifying it needed to be planted. Someone else would be planting nearby, and I asked how they heard about the event. I learned about people who were friends with my classmates, people who attended last December’s workshop and kept up to date with the Testplot instagram, and people who came because their friend lived in the neighborhood and also came to volunteer. These were just beginnings of conversations until I got to meet two costume designers who appreciated spending time with people passionate about the outdoors and a recent grad in the California Climate Action Corps. The event was an opportunity to connect with people over a shared process of planting. For fun, if the day was named after a Spotify playlist, it’d be Beaming Grind Community Sunday Afternoon.”
“During the activities, the flood simulation felt really meaningful, and the mapping exercise was just as important. Marking where everyone came from helped me see how different perspectives shape the way we understand the site. Over the semester I watched Rainbow Canyon slowly grow from barren land into an ecosystem. and it added another layer of meaning to the work we did throughout the day. The tree-planting activity was also memorable—especially having to wrap the plant bases with netting to keep the roots from getting damaged. Building the birdhouses was probably the most fun, and it helped me understand structure in a very hands-on way. And since I worked in digital modeling and integrating information, seeing water move through the physical model made me realize how valuable real, tactile experience is for understanding flood patterns and the site itself.”
“We also expanded the existing 5 plots: 2 fire buffer plots, riparian plot, 2 woodland plots and the hillside plot. We added a new plot on the lower hillside and planted over 170 native plants. I’m particularly excited to see how the Canyon Sunflower (Venegasia carpoides) does as it seems like it should be right at home in this shade, protected canyon. It will be diveristy and much needed color and brightness.”
