This park concept combined elements from Ethiopia's past to create an exciting place to visit, relax and play

Structures at the entry start with an Italianesque design theme, then blend into more typical African forms.

The goal of this design was to create a sense of place, so that visitors from afar would feel that they were indeed in Africa as opposed to someplace in Orange County. For locals, the native forms and functions could serve as a source of pride in their own culture.

The park features a monumental sculpture at one end that can serve as a landmark, connected by wandering trails that pass through native plant gardens, playing fields and a tot lot. The entrance features a series of structures hosting a space for holding coffee ceremonies and small gatherings as well as restrooms.

Coffee is an important part of the Ethiopian culture, so there are numerous symbols of this plant incorporated into this design. The turf fields are shaped like coffee leaves. A coffee plant grows in the central planter of the main structure, and the monumental sculpture is composed of organic forms.