This is MOBA, the Museum of Botanical Arts in Joshua Tree, California. This building resides at mile 1.75 on the Willow Hole Trail and provides an area of rest along the trail as well as ample space for large scale botanical installations and other botanical arts whether it be illustration, textiles, sculpture, floral design, etc.

 

The exhibition space utilizes a number of systems such as rainwater collection, foldaway walls, seating wells, modular seating and radiant in floor heat. These systems work together to allow the building to integrate with the natural landscape and to invite visitors to experience their environment in a new way.

 

MOBA’s main gallery is a 5,000 square foot exhibition space intended to house large scale botanical installations. The modular floor cushions can be moved freely throughout the space and two large foldaway walls on either side of the gallery can be opened to expose the building to the natural landscape. TEA BAR, MOBA’s cafe offers a wide range of ethically sourced tea from around the world. Lattes and fresh brewed loose leaf tea are just some of the offerings. The gift shop which is adjacent to the cafe sells the premium loose leaf tea served at TEA BAR as well as posters and plants. The cafe’s seating wells ask visitors to share an intimate moment with the space by interacting with the ground plane in ways they otherwise would not.