The City of Los Angeles has selected a design team led by local architects Gruen Associates to design 12 miles of the LA River Greenway.

Mayor Eric Garcetti and the city’s engineering bureau have commissioned the studio to create new green space and pedestrian and cycle routes from Canoga Park to Elysian Valley, with “a next-generation, L.A.-specific design aesthetic.”

The greenway design must also include shade elements, stormwater capture features and habitat areas for local wildlife, as well as fencing, gates, lighting, signage and additional educational and interpretive elements.

Gruen Associates will work with architects Oyler Wu Collaborative and landscape designers Mia Lehrer + Associates. Engineering firm Psomas will produce the team’s civil and structural work.

“The Los Angeles River is a common thread that links us to our history, and connects us to the natural world,” said Garcetti. “This bikeway will give all Angelenos a new way to experience our city, build accessibility to our revitalised river and expand green space for families to enjoy.”

Garcetti’s office and LA County supervisor Sheila Kuehl have committed to jointly fund the design, along with city councilmembers and the Department of Recreation and Parks.

A feasibility study will be developed in the next nine months, with community input and review. Construction will then follow in phases.

The project is part of a wider drive to provide new recreation and open space along the 51-mile LA River while maintaining flood protection and safety. Frank Gehry was appointed in 2014 to develop a masterplan for the whole river, although detailed design information has yet to be released.