Core Memories

Rammed Earth
Esperanza Hills Regional Park, Los Angeles, CA
2026

Core Memories draws from the idea that landscapes hold memory in their physical layers and in the experiences of nearby communities. The artwork is inspired by the unique topography and layered history of Puente Hills, shaped by natural forces and decades of compacted waste.

For surrounding neighborhoods, largely communities of color, the Puente Hills Landfill has long symbolized environmental burden. Residents recall the odors, noise, and constant movement of dump trucks; as Supervisor Solis reflected, people “grew up thinking that was normal” even as air pollution and traffic diminished daily life in Avocado Heights, Bassett, and La Puente.

Located in front of the Hilda L. Solis Environmental Justice Center, the artwork responds to these histories through rammed earth monoliths formed from recycled concrete collected nearby. Like geological core samples, the sculptures expose the strata of Puente Hills and the memories embedded within them. Visitors walk between these vertical slices of earth, encountering the site’s layers in a tactile way. Native plantings incorporated into the sculptures further settle the artwork into the site’s broader landscape design.

Core Memories acknowledges environmental injustice while honoring communities shaped by it, offering a space for reflection and restoration.

In collaboration with James Shen of People’s Architecture Office.