Designs for the Desert Botanical Garden were first conceptualized during the master planning phase, during which TELA worked closely with the client and architect to organize and choreograph the garden experience while engaging existing on site and contextual circulation, drainage and vegetation patterns. The team conceptualized solutions for new education, horticulture and research centers; a new administration area; future interpretive trails and links to adjacent bike paths; and the canal and vehicular systems in and around the site. After completing the master plan, TELA led schematic design through construction documents for the new exterior spaces. Entry monumentation, drop-off areas, and a formal entry plaza welcome visitors to explore the diverse desert gardens, gather and learn in shaded amphitheaters, and rest in the calm of the gift shop courtyard. The design seeks to uphold the Garden's vision to be "the premier center in the world for the display, study and understanding of desert plants and their environments...[transforming] the visitor experience into one of discovery and meaning."