Designed by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, this 2.5 acre park incorporates the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising campus to create a unique landscape for downtown's South Park community. Commissioned by the Los Angeles Redevelopment Agency, Grand Hope Park was created to be the center of a new redevelopment project, which included retail and residential spaces.

Grand Hope Park was designed as a collection of “outdoor rooms” each being formed by the use of trees, fountains, sculptures, and walk ways. The park includes a large water feature, a children’s playground, and spaces for community gatherings. The park is also a site for local artwork. The clock tower at the entrance was designed by Halprin. The other works in the park were designed by various Californian artists including Lita Albuquerque, Raul Guerrero, Ralph McIntosh, Gwynn Murrill, and Adrian Saxe.

Grand Hope Park is the last downtown Los Angeles landscape designed by Halprin. The park is also the final landscape along the Los Angeles Open Space Network. Other sites in the network are Wells Fargo Center, Bunker Hill Steps, and the Central Library's Maguire Gardens.