Maison Bande Dessinée is an unbuilt desert house and painter’s studio in Joshua Tree, CA.

It is a house with an oversized roof that reduces direct exposure from the intense desert sun. This thick roof, like a horizontal core, also contains most of the mechanical, electrical, as well as heating and cooling functions. Furthermore, the roof has a “reverse-parapet” that drops down to redacts and highlights views. By screening out views of less interesting sights and focusing on the key sceneries of the landscape, this thick roof becomes a viewing device that selectively crops the exterior.

This project is part of the 44 Low-Resolution Houses Exhibition at Princeton School of Architecture, curated by Michael Meredith.