Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers designs playground for Watts, Los Angeles

Flea, bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has spearheaded the redesign of a public playground in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. The project, located at Nickerson Gardens, began in 2020 when Flea volunteered during the pandemic. In collaboration with architecture firm Nbbj and design studio ESI Design, who contributed pro bono, the space was transformed into a 1,600-square-meter area featuring playground equipment, fitness zones, climbing walls, and shaded structures with water misting poles to combat high temperatures. Recycled materials were used throughout. The park opened in August 2023 with a surprise concert by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The initiative aims to provide a safe gathering space for youth and adults, addressing crime and urban decay in the historically African American community, which suffered racial unrest in the 1960s.