To build within Yosemite National Park is to accept a profound responsibility. As a landscape of unparalleled natural beauty and a site of immense cultural significance, any architectural intervention demands the highest levels of sensitivity, technical precision, and respect for context. The Yosemite Welcome Center project embraced this dual challenge: the meticulous historic restoration of a mid-century modern "Mission 66" icon and the creation of new, critical infrastructure to support the park's millions of annual visitors.¹

The project, located in the heart of Yosemite Village, serves as the central arrival point for the park.² The design work centered on the careful revitalization of the historic Welcome Center, a classic example of the National Park Service's ambitious post-war "Mission 66" program. The effort required a surgical approach, integrating entirely new building systems while preserving and articulating the original architectural character that defines this important style.¹ Alongside the restoration, the project included the design of a new 18-unit restroom building, a vital piece of support infrastructure engineered to handle immense visitor traffic and serve the park's needs for generations to come.¹

Praxis's principal, Seth Dunn, served as Project Architect on this project while at Siegel & Strain Architects.¹ This leadership role required navigating the complex demands of a federal client (NPS), adhering to rigorous historic preservation standards, and operating within one of the most protected and ecologically sensitive landscapes in the world. This experience in delivering technical and design excellence within a high-stakes, culturally-charged environment is foundational to the capabilities Praxis now brings to every project.

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