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Introduction

The LEAD studio, previously known as the "606 studio" and founded by the late Professor John T. Lyle, boasts over fifty years of history. The LEAD studio is a Signature Polytechnic Experience (PolyX) that “promotes students’ discovery of the opportunities and challenges within the field and the development of creative and innovative solutions to those conditions”. Guided by successive generations of landscape architecture professors at Cal Poly Pomona, the studio has completed more than two hundred community-based environmental design and planning projects throughout California and beyond. Over a thousand master’s students have graduated from it, many of whom now hold leadership positions in private, public, and non-profit sectors. Faculty supervisors and third-year master’s student teams collaborate with municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, and various federal, regional, and local agencies to provide services to communities. Many of these projects have received national professional and student awards and helped to secure millions in funding for regional and local communities, particularly those that are underserved, marginalized, and disadvantaged.

Studio Focuses

The LEAD studio of the MLA program cultivates leaders in evidence-based landscape architecture who are proactive, creative in leveraging opportunities, and socially conscious of their actions. It stresses academic excellence focused on developing awareness of current issues and opportunities, experimenting with innovative methods and technologies to develop solutions, synthesizing interdisciplinary knowledge and community-based knowledge, connecting personal values to analyses, planning, policies, and designs at multiple scales. We use evidence that supports the design process derived from academic research literature, community engagement, and the wealth of data that is increasingly accessible to inform decision-making and design. Amid societal challenges such as climate change, public health, and social inequity, we practice evidence-based design, ecosystemic design, geo-design, design for climate migration, adaptation, resilience, enhanced quality of life, and socioenvironmental justice.

Timeline and Studio Process

The master student teams work on their projects over two semesters (Fall and Spring) during a full academic year, with support and guidance from an advisory panel of two to three faculty experts in relevant fields. In the Fall semester, the studio explores the project, conducts background research, travels for field trips, engages with community and agency partners, and analyzes landscape and human systems at various scales in the study areas. In the Spring semester, the student teams develop project goals and objectives based on their Fall semester work, envision planning and design concepts, and create planning and design deliverables for a region, a community, and a site, subject to the specific needs of our community collaborators. This experience sharpens students' research, analytical, and design skills and enhances their ability to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges.

Equitable Community Partnership

The studio is dedicated to serving and collaborating with local communities, especially underserved and marginalized ones, including minority, immigrant, tribal, and other communities in need across urban, suburban, and rural areas. We particularly focus on working with communities facing threats from climate change, natural hazards, environmental contamination, and various pressing environmental social issues.

• Community Engagement Process

The community engagement process will span the academic year, with primary efforts either concentrated during the Fall or Spring semester, subject to the nature of the projects. Faculty and students will collaborate with community and agency partners to design and initiate an engagement process tailored to the project’s needs. The extent of engagement may range from community ideation and evaluation to full empowerment. Activities may include meetings, site studies, focus groups, workdays, workshops, and design charrettes. Community partners are encouraged to work closely with faculty and students to achieve optimal project outcomes.

• Expectations of Community Partners

Community partners are expected to meet with the student team according to a mutually agreed-upon yearly schedule and collaboratively identify opportunities for additional engagement activities. We appreciate their assistance in connecting student teams to their broader networks, including agencies, professional contacts, residents, schools, and other stakeholders. Community partners are also expected to participate in final presentations at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters and are encouraged to provide input throughout the entire process.

Expected Studio Outcomes

• Deliverables

Student teams participating in each of the capstone projects will produce several standard deliverables, including two public presentations, one at the end of each semester, a formal project report documenting the entire project process and outcomes, data and graphic packages, award submissions, etc. All deliverables will be generated in digital format unless support is available to the studio to produce deliverables in hard copy or other formats.

• Examples of Previous Work

 There, you'll find recent project reports detailing our collaborations. Our recent partners include various cities in Southern California, such as Baldwin Park, Huron, Maywood, Pomona, San Bernardino, San Fernando, Rancho Cucamonga, and Riverside. Additionally, we've partnered with Tribal communities like the Mono Lake Kutzaduka’a Tribe and the Tataviam Land Conservancy, as well as organizations such as the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program and the Kounkey Design Initiative. Currently in the 2024-2025 academic year, we are working with the US Forest Service: the LA Urban Center, the City of Pasadena Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, and the Arroyo Foothill Conservancy. You can also find our older project work . These projects were done in collaboration with an extensive list of community and professional partners across California and beyond.