Los Feliz

Community Patio

Located in the beautiful and hilly Los Feliz neighborhood in Los Angeles, CA, this project was about the conversion of part of a commercial parking lot into a community area for full-time residents and visitors attending the periodic half and full day events. The floor planning had been tricky in the past as the behavioral health & wellness non-profit, as such, needed to keep a certain number of parking spots for a commercial building which was almost the entire space available. I decided to hone in the graveled surrounding area which had a more relaxed feel and would allow for a seamless circulation.

The design consists of a dining area, paired with conversional lounge seating “pockets” that could be combined from two, four or more people at a time under individual sun umbrellas, a larger social area with an already existing U shaped couch the client felt strongly about and which I placed at the central corner by a mature tree for extra shade. I also kept the existing smaller, round dining table set and created a small, benched area where the space available was more narrow but also more quiet, perfect for silent alone time. Light weight woods, metals and handwoven textiles in nature inspired tones also complement the surrounding buildings aesthetic. Staying away from a planter fence formation as the client requested, I placed planters of different sizes in clusters which added privacy and made the stark nature of the parking lot more garden-like. A selection of climbing plants and wall shrubs will cool down the space and make it greener for years to come.

Photography by Jessica Alexander