BEWell Parklet
What is BEWell?
Framing Commons
In partnership with the Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center and UCLA Transportation, BEWell supports small-scale spatial demonstrations with long-term goals to improve well-being, foster inclusivity, and encourage social engagement through just environmental transformation.
The mission of the BEWell Pod is to examine and address the ways in which UCLA’s built environment and surrounding areas impact the lived experiences of the campus community, with the goal of promoting a healthier and happier campus.
Year: 2023- Present
BEWell Blog
B-Line Programming for Healthy Campus
January 2025
Site-Visiting / Medical Plaza Driveway at UCLA
January 2024
In January, cityLAB facilitated a site visit for a long and narrow site on the Medical Campus - to explore the siting and spatial requirements of a new healthy-campus parklet at UCLA. Based on the desired qualities described in the last pod conversation - aesthetically driven, flexible, accessible, inclusive, casual, safe, 24-hour access, facilitates interaction - participants discussed precedent micro-urbanism driven around the following design dimensions: physical, mental, social, educational, infrastructural. What is considered more, or less successful based on the constraints of this site? What are the material parameters that need to be reckoned with?
What is the Desired Space? / Perloff Hall
November 2023
Credits
Dr. Dana Cuff, David Karwaski, Dr. Yang Yang, Julie Wong, Alexa Vaughn, Kay Wright
Links
At a second meeting in late November, participants discussed the purpose of the work: why are we designing these spaces? What are the desired functions and spatial qualities? Participants voiced their interest in creating flexible, inclusive environments that include shade and seating, while also emphasizing customization, illumination, and inspiring social interaction. These ideas will be used as the starting point for project development, and the participatory process will continue throughout all design phases.
Building First Base
October 2023
In October, BEWell organized its first workshop where students and campus representatives were invited to consider three potential spatial demonstrations: Parklets, Holistic Health Housing, and Public Art for Student Narratives. The first “pod” pilots a series of conversations to include students, staff, urban designers, and stakeholders to understand the parameters of the project and study the potential of reimagining program through small, micro-urban interventions on the UCLA campus.