ALI graduate leads design-build projects in LA school system

Barry Talley was seeking greater engagement with policy and design-build civic engagement when he signed on to ALI's MSArch program.  His research into urban permeability and the water-energy nexus led him to identify LA schoolyards as an underused resource with strong potentials for aquifer recharge—and a powerful service learning experience.  He launched a design-build practicum in conjunction with Luther Burbank Middle School, working with 7th-grade students and science instructors to explore water issues in California and introduce design thinking into the science curriculum.  Since graduating, he has led teams of Woodbury students in design-build collaborations on six other campuses across the county.