Architecture students at the University of Southern California have unveiled a collection of innovative art museum proposals designed for the Joshua Tree National Park area in California. The projects, developed as part of the ARCH 500 Comprehensive Architectural Design course, showcase creative solutions for integrating cultural spaces within the harsh yet beautiful Mojave Desert environment.
The Joshua Tree Art Museum concept serves as the foundation for these student projects, envisioned as a cultural center dedicated to showcasing California's diverse artistic legacy. According to the school statement, the museum would feature contemporary and Chicano art, California Impressionism, and works by local artists. Located in the high desert context of the Mojave desert ecosystem outside Joshua Tree National Park, the facility would embrace connections between art, dining, and music within the desert landscape.
The academic program, led by tutors Selwyn Ting, Yo-ichiro Hakomori, Vlanka Catalan, Jose Herrasti, and Alejandra Lillo, challenges students to engage critically with natural, cultural, and social contexts. The course emphasizes comprehensive building design that demonstrates proficiency in structural design, materiality, building envelope systems, daylighting, and site design. Students are encouraged to become active participants in contemporary architectural discourse through their work.
Among the standout projects is "Within The Oasis" by Aaron Keith Kofi Johnson, which transforms the traditional desert oasis concept into a curated indoor experience. Johnson's design centers on a controlled microclimate that protects and isolates an oasis environment, allowing visitors to experience the desert's qualities without extreme conditions. Drawing inspiration from historical mine shafts once prevalent in Joshua Tree, the gallery spaces are partially submerged underground, symbolizing precious gems unearthed from the earth.
Natalie Darakjian's "Orbit" project embraces the desert's elemental clarity through nested curves that organize the plan into a measured spiral. Her design features walls that frame sky and horizon, with orbiting pavilions for listening, tasting, observation, and touch. The circulation moves like choreography, guiding visitors' attention to desert phenomena through slow, intentional pathways that lead to a central oasis.
"Hidden Gems" by Aliya Formeloza celebrates Joshua Tree's vibrant underground art community by placing gallery and exhibition spaces below grade. The design encourages exploration and discovery as underground elements peek through the landscape, creating visual intrigue. In contrast, artist residences and restaurants appear to float above ground, creating dynamic tension enhanced by light wells that carve through the terrain to illuminate underground spaces.
Jasmine Ho's "Earthline" project redefines the boundary between architecture and landscape through horizontal forms that press into natural slopes. The design features a semi-open gallery with rhythmic arches that frame desert views, blurring distinctions between enclosure and exposure. The building works harmoniously with the desert climate, using indirect light to brighten interior spaces while minimizing energy consumption.
Tim Sung Bin Son's "Earthbound" seeks minimal presence that dissolves into the wilderness, appearing as a single-level form that conceals a deep, sunken museum beneath. The descent unfolds as a slow promenade through shifting levels and micro-spaces, evoking disorientation and discovery. The subterranean architecture mirrors the alien artifacts it houses, creating familiar yet otherworldly experiences.
"Liminal Space" by Fangyu Lin reimagines architecture as a moving monument shaped by speed and perception. Guided by high-speed trajectories, the design maximizes visibility from every angle, blurring boundaries between interior and exterior. The museum becomes both frame and viewpoint, connecting people, movement, and the surrounding landscape in dialogue with nearby mountains.
Cassius Palacio's "Celestial Nexus" appears as an astronomical instrument that has landed in the desert. The building features a floating monolithic disc achieved through a massive cantilevered steel truss, creating a public void for shade, community, and culture. Private artist studios tether this celestial vessel to earth, providing human-scaled counterparts to the cosmic main structure.
Matthew Justis designed "Beneath Light" to respond to extreme desert climate through sunken courtyards that create comfortable outdoor environments. Overhanging galleries and slender columns filter sunlight, while clerestory openings and roof cuts diffuse daylight to produce serene, atmospheric interiors. The project explores how architecture can choreograph light and shadow to enhance spatial experience.
Additional projects include Zhifan Zhang's "Fragment of The Triandon," which explores tension between rigid geometric form and organic desert landscape through sectional studies, and Tingyue Wang's "Levels of Circulation," which uses two primary axes to establish visual and physical relationships across the site through differentiated circulation levels.
These comprehensive design proposals demonstrate how emerging architects are tackling the challenge of creating meaningful cultural spaces in extreme environments. The projects showcase innovative approaches to climate response, site integration, and spatial experience while honoring the unique character of California's high desert landscape. Through their diverse design strategies, the students have created a compelling vision for how art and architecture can coexist harmoniously within one of America's most distinctive natural settings.
