Designed by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, this 2.5-acre park integrates the campus of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising to create a unique landscape for the South Park downtown community. Commissioned by the Los Angeles Redevelopment Agency, Grand Hope Park was envisioned as the focal point of a new redevelopment project, encompassing commercial and residential spaces.
Grand Hope Park was crafted as a collection of “outdoor rooms,” each shaped by the use of trees, fountains, sculptures, and walkways. The park features a large water fountain, a children’s playground, and spaces for community gatherings. It also serves as a venue for local artworks. The entrance’s clock tower was designed by Halprin. Other artworks in the park were created by various California artists, including Lita Albuquerque, Raúl Guerrero, Ralph McIntosh, Gwynn Murrill, and Adrian Saxe.
Grand Hope Park represents the final downtown Los Angeles landscape designed by Halprin. The park is also the concluding landscape along the Los Angeles Open Space Network. Other sites within the network include the Wells Fargo Center, Bunker Hill Steps, and the Maguire Gardens of the Los Angeles Central Library.