About
A demonstration facility and education center in Rancho Cucamonga, California, the Frontier Project is designed to engage and inform visitors about options for sustainable landscaping in Southern California. Inspired by the indigenous plant communities of the Cucamonga Valley Watershed, the project's designers incorporated native/naturalized plantings that are visually stunning yet require little maintenance. In addition to introducing an array of plant options, the landscaping also helps dispel the myth that water-thrifty landscapes must look like a desert. Additional features, such as decomposed granite walkways, porous concrete surfaces, a bioretention area/rain garden, and a cistern for harvesting rainwater model ways to capture, treat, and reuse or infiltrate all stormwater runoff on site.
Project Details
Description
The Frontier Project is the demonstration facility of the Frontier Project Foundation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation dedicated to addressing environmental challenges in Southern California. The project’s designers incorporated an array of plantings, features, and technologies that create a beautiful, inspiring, and sustainable landscape. To further support and engage visitors, the education center offers a range of resources and implementation tools so they can learn how to incorporate the design features in their own home and workplace landscapes.
By showcasing sustainable design practices and technologies that are most suitable for use in Southern California, the project is highly relevant to citizens of this drought-prone region. Water-wise features include permeable surfaces, swales, bioretention area, rainwater cistern, and greenroof. Plant material was chosen for its visual appeal, year-round interest, ease of maintenance, drought tolerance, and habitat value for native birds, insects, and other wildlife. Materials were sourced locally when possible and include boulders and decomposed granite for walkways. Interpretative signage, plant labels, and information kiosks educate visitors as they walk through the site.
Project Goals
- Create a demonstration landscape that inspires, informs, and instructs visitors on how to incorporate energy efficient and water-wise design into a sustainable landscape.
- Model ways to capture, treat, and reuse or infiltrate all stormwater runoff on site.
- Show a visually engaging planting palette that features low-maintenance and drought-tolerant species to dispel the myth that California landscapes must look like a desert.
Adapted from the original LAF LPS case study.
Social Benefits
- Provides sustainable landscape design education to approximately 5,000 visitors annually through on-site demonstrations, facility tours, special events, workshops, and conferences.
- Improves overall workplace satisfaction, with 87% of Frontier Project employees reporting an improved mood, 67% feeling more able to cope with work-related stress, and 53% feeling more relaxed after viewing, walking through, and spending time in the Frontier Project’s landscape.
Reprinted from the original LAF LPS case study.
Contact hello@eptdesign.com EPTDESIGN Frontier Project Cucamonga Valley Water District: Frontier Project
Project Team
Owner: Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD)
Client: Frontier Project - Non-Profit affiliated with CVWD
Architect: HMC Architects
Landscape Architect: EPTDESIGN
Civil Engineering: RHA Engineers
Stormwater Consultants: RBF
Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing: DCGA
Contractor: Turner Construction
Landscape Contractor: DMA Greencare
Landscape Maintenance: Casa Verde
Budget
Budget: $377,000 for landscape (some items donated)
Awards
LEED for New Construction v 2.2 Platinum, 2010
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Southern California Chapter: Honor Award in Sustainable and Environmental Design, 2012
American Institute of Architects (AIA) Inland California Chapter: Citation Award, 2008
AIA Inland California Chapter: People’s Choice Award, 2008
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Inland Empire Chapter: Leadership Award for Education and Advocacy, 2008
