BOHNETT PARK -

The park creatively addresses a number of vital needs for the residents of a densely built out neighborhood, including open space to relieve the effects of crowded housing, improved safety, a unique visual identity expressed through art and architecture, access to a restored riparian environment, and pride for an often overlooked segment of the community. The imagery of the park combines indigenous flora and fauna, abstracted architecture, and fanciful art to provide a distinctive centerpiece for the neighborhood.

The view of, and access to, the creek restoration provides the neighborhood with a valuable connection to the natural environment. Proximity to the Boys and Girls Club and public housing projects provides an opportunity for at-risk youth to participate in educational programs resulting in an understanding of creeks and their important environmental role. The design elements of the park are based on the concept of a residence without walls, sitting on a typical Westside lot. This “bungalow” is situated in a garden with a tidy lawn, doghouse, over-sized lawn chairs, native California plantings, and a continuation of the boulder-lined creek meandering through the garden.