"Taking the Reins" Barn and Urban Farm, Los Angeles, California

“Taking the Reins” is a non-profit organization that helps adolescent at-risk girls develop self-esteem, teamwork, responsibility, and leadership skills by learning to ride and care for horses. The organization asked us to renovate an existing horse facility next to the Los Angeles River into an urban farm and educational complex. Following a series of design charrettes with the users, we developed the project to integrate horse stables, learning spaces, and a vegetable garden so that program participants would learn about animals, sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and healthful eating.