Youth Innovation Center Inglewood

Imagine a space where children can stretch their creativity and explore aspirations and possibilities in state-of-the-art classrooms and studios, step out onto a sun-drenched terrace to collaborate on a robotics project, and then tune up their BMX bike for a few heart-pumping laps on the Inglewood Pumptrack. This is the Youth Innovation Center, connecting the community to the beauty and wellness of the outdoors while bringing hands-on discovery and exploration of the future.

A community park with a modern building featuring a green rooftop terrace, where people are sitting and relaxing. The structure has an open lower level with shaded seating areas and ample bike parking. Visitors, including families and children, are cycling along the paved pathways around the building, emphasizing the space’s bike-friendly design. The landscape is enhanced by lush trees and open grass areas under a bright, partly cloudy sky, providing a welcoming atmosphere for outdoor activities and community engagement

What began as a commission by Grow Cycling Foundation to complete a modest refresh of an unused park maintenance building in Inglewood blossomed organically into a dynamic youth innovation center. Classrooms will host a robust rotation of workshops and classes across a spectrum of disciplines, from visual arts to sports as a generational health and wealth builder. State-of-the-art facilities for cycling, tennis, and rock-climbing underscore the center’s commitment to fostering physical, emotional, intellectual, and financial well-being.

Interior view of the Youth Innovation Center, with large glass walls, allowing natural light to illuminate the area. The ceiling features wooden beams that add warmth to the open-concept design. People are walking and cycling through the space, creating a lively, accessible environment. Inside, individuals are seen socializing and enjoying the inviting atmosphere. This community-oriented space is designed for easy navigation and fosters interaction, making it ideal for events, gatherings, and everyday use

The building’s bold, curvilinear form is a direct reflection of its purpose: to be a vibrant hub converging arts, sports, and design. Large, retractable glass walls blur the lines between indoors and out, creating fluid transitions between classrooms, recreational areas, and the park’s natural landscape. This flexibility makes it ideal for attending TED-inspired conferences, sports events, or weekend picnics. The building is artfully nestled into the contours of the landscape, resulting in an expansive green roof lawn that enhances the park’s existing gathering spaces and forms a natural tiered amphitheater from where to watch the action and races at the Inglewood Pumptrack.

More than just a building, the Youth Innovation Center in Inglewood is a catalyst for the imagination and a testament to what’s possible when community comes together around a shared vision to transform an idle and uninviting landscape into a beacon of opportunity.