A Refuge in the Desert

The desert is a volatile and dynamic environment. When considering the desert as site, negotiate the vast scale and horizontality of the context was necessary to offer a quiet space refuge. An intervention that serves as a refuge and pause within the desert surface, the project is situated within a strong horizontal datum.

Organized around a central oasis, there are multiple spaces at different scales to accommodate both private meetings and larger social gatherings. The outdoor spaces serve as moments that celebrate the beauty of the desert, framing views outward and engaging the beauty of the sunset.

Studying the desert surface through model was important to understanding how the architecture could engage the site. Considering the architecture as a node within the desert field, gestures were pulled across the landscape as a way of engaging the horizontality of the site. These gestures also anchored the promenade through to the project.