Spurlock Landscape Architects

San Diego, California
by

SDSU Imperial Valley Sciences and Engineering Laboratories; Brawley, CA
The SDSU Imperial Valley Sciences and Engineering Laboratories advances workforce development in Lithium Valley by supporting the growing geothermal energy sector through new four-year degree programs. Located in Brawley, California, this 37,000-square-foot facility establishes a strong campus identity while incorporating sustainable design elements inspired by local climate and regional heritage. Occupying a former agricultural field in California's Imperial Valley, the project responds to the region's irrigated farmland, geothermal resources, and extreme desert climate. Deep arcades, shaded courtyards, perforated screens, stormwater systems, infiltration basins, native pollinator habitat, drought-adapted planting, and a solar photovoltaic canopy support outdoor campus life while creating a resilient and adaptable environment for future STEM education and research. Photo Credit: Here and Now Agency

The Park Santa Monica; Santa Monica, CA

 
The Park Santa Monica apartments feature a series of public plazas create a linear "street park" where seating, shade, and bike parking encourage activity along the primary pedestrian connection between the light rail station and surrounding neighborhoods. The project's name is derived from its fully programmed one-acre rooftop park, which offers sweeping ocean and city views. Residents enjoy four interconnected spaces - The Field, The Garden, The Oasis, and The Farm - designed for fitness, socializing, retreat, and urban agriculture. Native planting, tiered planters, communal gathering spaces, and photovoltaic shade canopies contribute to the project's LEED Platinum certification. Recognition: 2022 Los Angeles Business Council Architectural Awards Housing Award. Photo Credit: Eric Staudenmaier

Children's Park; San Diego, CA
Children's Park has been an iconic component of San Diego's downtown open space since its construction in 1996. In 2018, Spurlock was selected to transform a neglected passive park into a neighborhood hub for downtown residents and visitors. The park includes large wood play structures, an off-leash dog area, fitness equipment, game tables, a vendor building with covered outdoor seating, and a new elevated walkway engaging visitors with the existing Civic Pond and water feature. Recognition: 2024 ASLA San Diego President's Award, 2024 APA San Diego Excellence Award, 2024 APWA San Diego Honor Award, 2024 AIA San Diego Honor Award, 2024 Downtown San Diego Partnership Cultural Vitality Award. Photo Credit: Joe Dodd, Linear Photography

Malibu Campus Plan; Malibu, CA
Malibu High School supports a student body of 450-600 with diverse classrooms, project-based learning spaces, STEM and Special Education facilities, and outdoor commons that extend learning beyond the classroom. All teaching spaces connect directly to outdoor areas while preserving scenic views and integrating the campus into its natural context. Planting design is organized into five distinct zones that link habitat, sustainability, and climate to learning opportunities while transitioning from coastal and park-like environments at the entry to more open landscapes that connect to the mountain backdrop. Recognition: 2024 & 2026 AIA CA Leroy F. Greene Design & Planning Award of Excellence, 2026 A4LE Southern California Honor Award, 2024 USGBC California Green Building Merit Award. Photo Credit: Geta Gamble

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SDSU Imperial Valley Sciences and Engineering Laboratories; Brawley, CA
The SDSU Imperial Valley Sciences and Engineering Laboratories advances workforce development in Lithium Valley by supporting the growing geothermal energy sector through new four-year degree programs. Located in Brawley, California, this 37,000-square-foot facility establishes a strong campus identity while incorporating sustainable design elements inspired by local climate and regional heritage. Occupying a former agricultural field in California's Imperial Valley, the project responds to the region's irrigated farmland, geothermal resources, and extreme desert climate. Deep arcades, shaded courtyards, perforated screens, stormwater systems, infiltration basins, native pollinator habitat, drought-adapted planting, and a solar photovoltaic canopy support outdoor campus life while creating a resilient and adaptable environment for future STEM education and research. Photo Credit: Here and Now Agency

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The Park Santa Monica; Santa Monica, CA
The Park Santa Monica apartments feature a series of public plazas create a linear "street park" where seating, shade, and bike parking encourage activity along the primary pedestrian connection between the light rail station and surrounding neighborhoods. The project's name is derived from its fully programmed one-acre rooftop park, which offers sweeping ocean and city views. Residents enjoy four interconnected spaces - The Field, The Garden, The Oasis, and The Farm - designed for fitness, socializing, retreat, and urban agriculture. Native planting, tiered planters, communal gathering spaces, and photovoltaic shade canopies contribute to the project's LEED Platinum certification. Recognition: 2022 Los Angeles Business Council Architectural Awards Housing Award. Photo Credit: Eric Staudenmaier

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Children's Park; San Diego, CA
Children's Park has been an iconic component of San Diego's downtown open space since its construction in 1996. In 2018, Spurlock was selected to transform a neglected passive park into a neighborhood hub for downtown residents and visitors. The park includes large wood play structures, an off-leash dog area, fitness equipment, game tables, a vendor building with covered outdoor seating, and a new elevated walkway engaging visitors with the existing Civic Pond and water feature. Recognition: 2024 ASLA San Diego President's Award, 2024 APA San Diego Excellence Award, 2024 APWA San Diego Honor Award, 2024 AIA San Diego Honor Award, 2024 Downtown San Diego Partnership Cultural Vitality Award. Photo Credit: Joe Dodd, Linear Photography

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Malibu Campus Plan; Malibu, CA
Malibu High School supports a student body of 450-600 with diverse classrooms, project-based learning spaces, STEM and Special Education facilities, and outdoor commons that extend learning beyond the classroom. All teaching spaces connect directly to outdoor areas while preserving scenic views and integrating the campus into its natural context. Planting design is organized into five distinct zones that link habitat, sustainability, and climate to learning opportunities while transitioning from coastal and park-like environments at the entry to more open landscapes that connect to the mountain backdrop. Recognition: 2024 & 2026 AIA CA Leroy F. Greene Design & Planning Award of Excellence, 2026 A4LE Southern California Honor Award, 2024 USGBC California Green Building Merit Award. Photo Credit: Geta Gamble

Spurlock Landscape Architects is an industry-leading multidisciplinary design firm whose local and regional knowledge is exceptional, as is their passion for the environment. The firm was established in 1988 to provide an innovative, site-conditioned approach to both planning and landscape architectural design. Over the past three decades, Spurlock Landscape Architects has expanded to over twenty people, including a leadership team of four Principals, based in San Diego, California. Their projects encompass gardens, cultural facilities, nature centers, parks, plazas, and open spaces, working in collaboration with private and public institutional, civic, and non-profit clients. The growth of the firm has led to a lively collaboration on a broad range of projects that have earned national, state, and local awards from the ASLA, AIA, and APA.
Employees: PLAs (9), Principals (4); Total (20)
Software used: AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, Bluebeam, Microsoft Office, Lumion, Rhino, Autodesk BIM 360

As seen in LASN magazine, August 2026.