The Legacy of Joesler

Joesler was, above all, an eclectic; an architectural linguist. His significance lies in his role as a transporter of styles to Tucson and incorporating them into common architectural usage. Joesler's extant buildings confirm his ability to articulate a variety of architectural vocabularies to create buildings that were contemporary and, at the same time, appear timeless. He was highly educated in both the technical and artistic realms of architecture which, when combined with his extensive travels, provided him with a palette of styles to accommodate the emotive needs of his patron and clientele. Joesler was not selective in his importation of architectural styles; he chose all styles, historic and contemporary. He was instrumental in creating a paradigm in Tucson for the eclectic use of architectural styles by one architect, thus providing fertile ground for future architects and styles to be introduced.

Joesler, also, was the right man at the right time in the prolific pre-World War II development of Tucson. His work represents the stylistic imagery used to promote Tucson as a resort destination and subsequently developing America's romance with the Southwest. As symbols, these regional images served two purposes: locally, to establish and maintain the myth and fact of historic sense of place; and externally, to romantically conjure up another, more exotic, place. Following California's example, Joesler and Murphey created a romantic built environment that gave the illusion of continuity with the Hispanic past and provided a vision for elite residential development that still exists today.