South Park Commons

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

South Park Commons re-imagines a quarter-acre site in Downtown Los Angeles as a shared backyard for the neighborhood. Designed as a sequence of garden rooms, the small park balances quiet respite with flexible space for everyday gathering, small performances, yoga, readings, movies, and outdoor dining. A bustling restaurant terrace along the south edge helps animate the park throughout the day and into the evening.

Aerial view of a city block showing a landscaped park with trees, benches, and walkways, surrounded by tall modern buildings and a street with parked cars.
An outdoor patio with modern patio furniture, including four lounge chairs with wooden slats and white supports, set on a beige paved surface, surrounded by potted plants and trees, with a cityscape and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
Aerial view of an outdoor patio area with numerous wooden tables, chairs, and large potted plants, surrounded by lush green trees, with a white building in the background.
An urban park with green trees, potted plants, wooden benches, and a pathway, surrounded by a white building and a green fence.
A woman is lying on a wooden lounge chair in a sunny outdoor space, surrounded by trees and shade, with several more wooden benches or lounge chairs nearby on a paved ground under a sculpture by Desire Obtain Cherish entitled 'Lucky Break.'

Artist Jonathan Paul, otherwise known as Desire Obtain Cherish, has incorporated a 24-foot tall metallic blue sculpture of a wishbone titled Lucky Break into one of the park spaces.

According to the artist, “Wishbone luck has been a popular pastime for centuries. It symbolizes the promise of good luck. The saying “get a lucky break” comes from this tradition, which is a common theme for people from around the world who flock to Los Angeles.”

Green and white metal fence with plants, trees, and buildings in the background under a blue sky.

A robust palette of more than 50 native and adapted trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowering plants gives the park shade, seasonal character, and long-term resilience. Large tree specimens establish immediate presence, while integrated seating, framed views, and a central sculpture by artist Jonathan Paul shape a space that is both social and intimate.

Together, these elements create a distinctive urban garden that brings nature, civic life, and neighborhood identity into close relationship. Peter Emerson was responsible for design, development, documentation, delivery and team leadership while at RIOS.

Photography Credit: Millicent Harvey

Aerial view of the Cincinnati skyline at the Ohio Riverfront - illustrated with tall skyscrapers, a river, and a significant new green park with walking paths and trees along the riverbank.
Smale Riverfront Park