Nesting Towers

2025

Developed with The Artists and Architects Group – San Fernando Valley (TAAG SFV)
Founding members: Steven Chavez (Nesting Towers Design Lead), Tori Gruber, Daniel Jacobs.

SITE
A triangular concrete slab in the San Fernando Valley, located at the confluence of Arroyo Calabasas and Bell Creek—the headwaters of the Los Angeles River.

PURPOSE
Channelization of the Los Angeles River has drastically reduced native bird habitat. This proposal reclaims portions of that lost ecology while preserving the river’s essential flood control role.

CONCEPT
The design introduces modular “nesting towers” that provide elevated, secure locations for birds to establish nests within the urbanized river corridor.

ELEMENTS

• Nesting Towers: Prefabricated, telescoping lattice structures adapted from cellular tower typologies and fitted with nesting platforms.

• Overlook: A birdwatching platform integrated into the Owensmouth Avenue Bridge, connecting the public to restored habitat.

OUTCOME
A scalable network of nesting habitats that enhances avian biodiversity along the 51-mile Los Angeles River, demonstrating how ecological repair and flood infrastructure can coexist.