Aaron Milken Center at Stephen Wise Temple

An Inclusive Learning Village

SALT’s landscape design supports early childhood development and takes into account the needs of neurodiverse children. The result is a soothing, intuitive campus that connects people of all abilities to nature by engaging the five senses. Children splash in water features, play with melodic chimes, and walk over textured surfaces while immersed in the sensations and aromas of native gardens.

The campus occupies a hilly site, requiring careful coordination between landscape and architecture. SALT worked closely with Perkins & Will to create an environment where stairs, rooftops, and shade structures feel woven into nature and provide a comfortable flow between indoors and outdoors.

Social and Emotional Development in Nature

In the sensory gardens, pathways gently curve between softly textured and scented species. Textured ground planes create haptic transitions between spaces.

Play structures made from comfortable, natural materials offer age-appropriate challenges. An indoor learning kitchen extends to outdoor spaces that include vegetable beds, compost bins, and picnic tables.

A spacious arrival plaza with a shade structure and integrated stair seating anchors the village and provides a shaded space for greeting, gathering, and outdoor learning. 

Exploration and Belonging in the Landscape

On the second level, a native garden pathway connects children with California flora and fauna, brought to their eye level by raised planter beds. Bug hotels invite interaction with insect species, while small, contemplative gathering areas are tucked into nooks along the main pathway, offering a sense of shelter and enclosure.

The roof gardens' gently undulating topography echoes the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains, creating a visual connection between garden and hillside and reinforcing the site's sense of overlook.

“AMC has enriched our lives more than we could have ever imagined [by understanding] our children as individuals and as learners. It balances educational curriculum, social and emotional skills, and instilling Jewish values.”

— Devin Meepos & Steven Lundy, Parents