While living in Boston, I got the call that my grandfather was in the hospital and didn’t have much time left. I wasn’t able to make it back to California before he passed. At his funeral, a local pastor stood above his casket holding an orange. He shared that in his final hours, my grandfather had one last wish: to plant a grove of orange trees to feed the children in his neighborhood.

My grandfather, raised in the Okie, worked in agriculture from a young age. He had an incredible green thumb, spending his retirement growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers in his backyard. A few days after the service, I walked through his garden, surrounded by the life he had cultivated, and kept thinking about that wish. It was simple, but powerful.

I had just been accepted into the landscape architecture program at Cornell. Standing in his garden, I began to understand the quiet influence he had on me—his care for the land, his love of growing things, and his deep-rooted commitment to giving back to his community. It all connected. When my family discussed selling a small plot of his land, I dreamed…if only briefly…that it could become a community garden, full of orange trees and vegetables for anyone to enjoy. That particular site wasn’t meant for it, but the seed of the idea stayed with me.

Eight years later, that seed has grown into something more.

In the time since, my work in landscape architecture, planning, and urban design has taken me across the country. But as projects kept landing in other cities, I began to feel a pull toward home, and toward the unmet needs in my own neighborhood.

That’s when a small group of close friends and collaborators came together around a shared vision: to launch a new kind of practice. One rooted in purpose, grounded in place, and centered on people.

Together, we formed CoLab Studio: a consulting and design collective committed to creating vibrant, functional spaces that enhance urban life and deepen community connection, especially in neighborhoods that have long been overlooked.

We believe in collaboration with clients, with communities, and with one another. We’re committed to research-based, innovative design solutions.

And like my grandfather, we’re planting seeds with hope for what they’ll grow into.

This is just the beginning. We’re excited for what’s ahead and grateful to have you along for the journey.

best,

Elijah Ball | Founder of CoLab Studio