Proyecto Pastoral is a Boyle Heights-based nonprofit that has been serving its community for over 30 years. They run a variety of programs -- including youth programs, leadership development and community organizing work, and the Guadalupe Homeless Project -- all out of their offices on Mission Road. A need for a re-designed parking lot transformed into an opportunity for activation and placemaking to re-imagine their front fence and outdoor space into a more welcoming, multi-use courtyard area.

LA-Más was proud to serve as Proyecto Pastoral’s design partner and project manager. Informed by the organization’s team, values, and programs, our goal was to ensure that the dynamic spirit of Proyecto Pastoral’s work is reflected in its built environment. The Courtyard Redesign features a new decorative fence, inspired by papel picado, that serves as a welcoming face for the organization to the surrounding neighborhood. Near the fence and front entrance is a new mini pocket park, featuring publicly-accessible seating that also doubles as children’s pay pads connected to a lily pad hopscotch ground pattern. Inside the fence there is a new garden area and children’s play zone (funded by a Kaboom grant), which includes a climbing wall, mountains-inspired mural, and another collection of seating and play pads. Future phases of the redesign may include colorful ground patterning around a staff courtyard and additional outdoor furniture.

Many thanks to Cyndi Hubach from the Elysian Valley Community Garden and Karl Kruegermann from Kruegermann Pickles for donating vegetables and succulents to get the garden started. Thanks also to our fence fabrication partners: Flores Artscape, Precision Waterjet & Laser, and Tortoise Industries.