Joshua Tree National Park Oasis of Mara Visitor Center
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Coiled Paths, Open Horizons.
Rooted in the dynamic landscape of Joshua Tree National Park, this visitor center draws inspiration from Akihisa Hirata’s Coil and Atelier Bow-Wow’s House Asama, merging organic spatial flow with a clear tectonic framework. The design is composed of three interdependent volumetric elements—porch, roof, and walls—that together define a sequence of experiential thresholds between desert exterior and interior exhibition space.
The building’s near-square plan concentrates fixed programs—such as restrooms, storage, and staff areas—along the main axis of entry, allowing the rest of the space to unfold in fluid continuity. Rather than relying on interior partitions, spatial definition is achieved through an expressive roof structure that hovers above the open plan, casting dynamic shadows and guiding circulation beneath.
Responding to the stark yet sublime conditions of the desert, apertures are precisely placed along the nine exterior faces to invite natural light, frame views of the surrounding terrain, and foster environmental awareness. The porch operates as a transitional buffer, welcoming visitors from the intense desert sun while introducing the layered experience within.
This project offers more than a place of information—it becomes an interpretive tool that mirrors the surrounding geology and ecology. By fusing tectonic clarity with spatial ambiguity, it encourages visitors to experience the desert not as a backdrop, but as an active participant in their journey.
Location:
Twentynine Palms, California, USA
Role:
Architecture
Phasing:
Pre-Design
Schematic Design
Class:
University of Southern California (USC)
ARCH 505B
Design Year:
2025
Collaborator:
Tristan Deetz
Photo Credit:
Jae Bin Lee
Tristan Deetz
Instructor:
Gary Paige
Design Ideation Sketches
Project Background
This visitor center emerges from a precedent-based design approach that honors architectural lineage while striving for spatial innovation. Drawing on the wisdom of T.S. Eliot—who wrote that “good poets make it into something better, or at least something different”—the project is rooted in the study of exemplary works, not to replicate but to reimagine.
Inspired by Coil by Akihisa Hirata and House Asama by Atelier Bow-Wow, the design reflects a deep engagement with spatial principles and formal logic. These precedents offered more than aesthetic cues—they provided frameworks for understanding circulation, environmental response, and volumetric articulation. By closely analyzing their spatial systems, relationships between parts and whole, and integration with site, I was able to extract key ideas that inform the project's parti.
In line with the pedagogical goals of the studio, this process involved:
Understanding architectural history to situate the project within a broader disciplinary context.
Reading beyond appearances to uncover latent organizational principles and generative spatial logics.
Translating analysis into design by synthesizing precedent knowledge into a new architectural expression.
Coil by Akihisa Hirata
House Asama by Atelier Bow-Wow
Drawings
This project employs drawing as both an analytical and generative tool to develop a comprehensive understanding of architectural ideas. Through a combination of precedent analysis, site-responsive strategies, and spatial investigations, the drawing process synthesizes fundamental architectural elements, contemporary design concepts, and perceptual experiences into coherent proposals.
The method integrates tactical precedent research, expanding strategies for spatial organization, form generation, and tectonic articulation. Each drawing not only documents design development but also operates critically—testing relationships between structure, program, and site. By leveraging a range of graphic techniques, from precise orthographic studies to intuitive atmospheric explorations, the drawing process aims to cultivate an iterative, concept-driven design approach that prioritizes the interplay between architectural space and human experience.
Elevation Oblique Drawing
Plan / Section Composite Drawing
Plan / Roof Plan Composite Drawing
Unauthorized use of any image or text is prohibited in any use. Images cannot be altered or modified in any way, in whole or in part, that disparages Jae Bin Lee or any of the collaborators.
