Bunker Hill Steps: A Cascade of Culture

The Bunker Hill Steps offer more than just a way to get from one street to another; they provide a unique urban experience. Designed by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin and completed in 1989, the steps serve as a symbolic and physical link between downtown Los Angeles and the redeveloped Bunker Hill area. The steps themselves are a postmodern architectural statement, reminiscent of Rome's Spanish Steps. A 60-foot wide double stairway descends from Hope Street, flanking a simulated river rock stream that flows into a fountain at the bottom, near the Los Angeles Central Library. Robert Graham's sculpture, *Source Figure*, stands in the fountain at the top, serving as the symbolic water source. The design incorporates terraced landings with areas for cafes and shops, creating an active urban streetscape. Lush plantings and greenery line the steps, softening the concrete and steel of the surrounding financial district. An escalator on the west side ensures accessibility for all. The steps provide a visually striking and heavily used pedestrian route, especially popular with local office workers.