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View of HKLA's office

HKLA is based in Los Angeles, California, where a highly urbanized metropolitan culture and a complicated urban nature coexist. Through the collaborative process of design, contextual exploration of landscape art, and innovative techniques of urban ecology, the firm intends to harmonize humans and nature. We believe the urban open space is the pinnacle of democratic practice in human culture where everyone, regardless of their origin, color, religion and interest, can be together to share their thoughts and experience.

HKLA workers drawing a diagram
Diagram with sketches from HKLA

Designing Life  Better Environment

Multiple diagrams by HKLA
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Rex Cayabyab holding up a sample of fake grass
Hongjoo Kim, principal architect drawing diagrams
HKLA team members working together
Sketch of HKLA project
Rendering of HKLA project

Our Process Oriented Design

Advancing through an array of creative methods, we infuse innovation into every aspect, enriched by dialogues with the community, proprietors, and our collaborative design and engineering team. From conceptual sketches to the project's construction, our unwavering commitment resonates through Process Oriented Design (POD), where we unveil hidden messages and craft purposeful designs for both people and the environment. 

Designing and building with craftmanship are our team's biggest asset and passion.

Working closely with diverse sectors simultaneously, such as community, the government, architects, engineers, stakeholders, and private developers, through daily practice enables us to approach each project with a multi-angled perspective, bringing a high level of creativity and therefore innovative solutions to every project. 

A diagram of one of HKLA's projects

HKLA is a certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE), Emerging Business Enterprise (EBE), Community Business Enterprise (CBE), LBE (Local Business Enterprise), SLB (Small Local Business), Micro SB (Micro Small Business) with various California government entities.

Portrait of HKLA team member
Portrait of HKLA team member
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HONGJOO KIM, PLA, ASLA 

Principal

SUNMIN LEE

Senior Associate

KEN PARK, PLA

Senior Associate

REX CAYABYAB

Senior Associate

MARIA ISABELA ESTEPA

Sr. Landscape Designer

MINGLEI XIONG

Associate

Portrait of HKLA team member
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MALIA PASELK

Sr. Landscape Designer

MARIA ISABELA ESTEPA

Sr. Landscape Designer

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Portrait of HKLA team member

CHUNG-CHIANG CHEN, PLA 

Sr. Landscape Designer 

MARIA ISABELA ESTEPA

Sr. Landscape Designer

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YIFEI YAN, PLA

Sr. Landscape Designer 

JOSHUA AGUSTINES

Landscape Designer 

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MINDY MCARDLE

Landscape Designer

JIAWEI LUO

Landscape Designer

Portrait of HKLA team member
Portrait of HKLA team member

IZABELLA URIBE

Landscape Designer 

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XINYUN LI

Landscape Designer

LINGLI MENG

Landscape Designer Intern

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