OCVIBE, the 100-acre mixed-use development transforming the area surrounding Honda Center, recently unveiled designs for Orange County’s newest network of parks and plazas. Created with community and wellness in mind, the 20-acres of open spaces at OCVIBE will introduce 3 miles of walkable trails, an outdoor public art gallery, new parks and plazas, and a diverse calendar of public programming to support the greater Anaheim community.
Anaheim’s newest network of parks and plazas was created to bring more open spaces to Southern California. By transforming 62 acres of former parking into a vibrant community landscape, OCVIBE is creating a civic framework that supports physical health, mental well-being, environmental resilience, and social connection for everyone who visits, works, or lives in the district. Interconnected trails offer accessible routes for walking, jogging, and cycling, while landscaped corridors link homes, dining, and entertainment venues; forming a seamless environment where wellness, art, and culture are part of everyday life.
At its core, the open spaces at OCVIBE are designed to deliver lasting value to the community; creating places where people can come together, build relationships, and feel a sense of belonging. They also serve as a platform for local programming, small businesses, and community-driven initiatives, ensuring that the benefits are shared broadly and evolve with the needs of the neighborhood over time.
Guided by core wellness principles, which shape every decision – from land use, programs, amenities, circulation, and ecological systems; the development team placed an intentional focus on health and wellness.
Movement, social connection, environmental comfort, and psychological nourishment are seamlessly woven into daily life, rather than treated as stand-alone features.
“The open space network at OCVIBE was designed to be a series of intentionally episodic spaces that support community health as well as physical and mental well-being for everyone who visits OCVIBE. The spaces and plantings were shaped around how people gather, move and connect. There is a park within a 5-minute walk from anywhere on the site. It’s a place where wellness is embedded and where art, nature, shade, sunlight, and programming come together to enhance your day-to-day.”
David Fletcher, Landscape Architect at Fletcher Studio
Together, these open spaces create a series of outdoor environments where visitors and residents can gather, explore, and recharge. Inspired by the region’s ecology, history, and waterways, each park offers its own character – from quiet meadows and biodiversity habitats to vibrant plazas built for shared moments before and after events. Collectively, the parks and plazas will serve as both sanctuary and stage, supporting urban flora and fauna while creating immersive experiences that connect people to place.
Meadow Park is inspired by the Santa Ana River as it once flowed. The park reflects the river’s historic movement, native plants, and natural form, bringing its spirit into the center of OCVIBE.
Neighborhood Park is a community and family park. Nestled within the district’s six residential buildings, it is a sanctuary for the residents and will foster biodiversity. The park offers two large meadows, and a variety of flexible, art-filled spaces with designs inspired by our solar system.
South Plaza is the heart of the district, where visitors, fans, and residents will gather for entertainment and sports.
Urban Park is based on the historical agricultural setting of Orange County, and a wild river that intersects, illustrating where farmlands and natural water features meet.
At the heart of OCVIBE’s open spaces will be an outdoor public art exhibition, housing installations from local and national artists. The open-air exhibition spaces will transform pathways and plazas into immersive creative experiences where sculptural, interactive, and seasonal exhibits provide evolving points of discovery throughout the year. The health and wellness programming will include community markets, fitness classes, workshops, live performances, educational events, and family-friendly gatherings, all designed to activate the spaces to be inclusive and responsive to the needs of the surrounding community.
The first public plaza will open in early 2027, alongside Katella Commons, the district’s chef-driven market hall, along with Concert Hall, a 5,000-capacity live entertainment venue. This will be followed by The Weave, the development’s mass-timber office building.
Damian Holmes is the Founder and Editor of World Landscape Architecture (WLA). Damian founded WLA in 2007 to provide a website for landscape architects written by landscape architects. He is a registered landscape architect and works as a strategy and marketing consultant.
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