LOS ALAMITOS, CA — This month the Loft wellness space began the construction of a brand new add on. They are adding an open garden outside of the main space. The garden is currently being constructed in order to make a place where students can take a breather, be surrounded by nature, and remove themselves temporarily from the stressful school environment.

The space is being constructed with the help of the school administrations and the Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF). The administration is handling the construction of the base of the garden while LAEF is dealing with the plants and seating of the garden. The garden will have several different features, including a tree, benches, and a fountain/river feature. The water feature will start from the fountain, run through a small river, and end in a drain to be sent back to the fountain.

The main goal of the garden is to make a space for students to be around nature since being around nature lowers stress.

“One of the design elements of the space is biophilic design, basically bringing outside elements inside, which helps calm people,” said the wellness counselor Mrs. Ledterman. Having a garden allows the space to have an even higher level of biophilic design, which helps students calm down in a welcoming area outdoors.

While the garden is tied to the wellness center, it will be open for everyone throughout the day, including lunch though there will be a supervisor at lunch. There will not be any gates into the garden, adding to the comforting vibe of the space.

The garden is about to finish the first phase of development and the second phase will start shortly. It is projected to open at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year