The Embrace

An Observational Viewing Platform

Woodbury University | Studio 3B | Instructor: Scrap Marshall | Ballona Creek, Santa Monica | Spring 2021

The task for this project is to design a structural cover and multi-use viewing platforms for the boat launching area at the UCLA Rowing Team facility located at Ballona Creek in Marina Del Rey. While there is no enclosed indoor program, the project allows a sense of protection from the elements while still being open and allowing unimpeded movement within the viewing platforms and around the boat launch area below. My architectural approach of this project was to create a space that embraces nature, the environment around it and for people that come across it. I was focused on capitalizing on the creek boat races that UCLA hosts, so I decided to create these long wings that embrace the river to create a parallel platform to accommodate viewing room for the boat races. The second platform above is more purposed for an omnidirectional viewing platform for birdwatching and sightseeing.