A digital preservation project for one of music's most significant landmarks.

The Joshua Tree Project is a personal initiative by cinematographer Edward Platero to digitally preserve the fallen Joshua tree made famous by U2's iconic 1987 album cover.

Using photogrammetry — a technique that constructs precise 3D models from thousands of photographs — the project captures every detail of the tree and its surroundings before it vanishes entirely from the Mojave Desert.

The project began in January 2020 when Platero visited the site and took 3,937 photographs, capturing every inch of the tree in its current state. Since then, four complete scans have been conducted, each documenting the ongoing deterioration and the tributes left by fans.

Capture

Thousands of photographs are taken of the tree and its surrounding artifacts, covering every angle and detail from multiple distances and heights.

Assemble

The photographs are processed using photogrammetry software, which identifies matching points across images to construct a dense 3D point cloud.

Model

The point cloud is converted into a detailed 3D mesh, textured with the original photographs, creating a precise digital replica of the tree.

Four scans. One race against time.

January 2020

First Scan

3,937 photographs captured. The baseline 3D model is constructed, preserving the tree in its state at that moment.

March 2020

Second Scan

Additional coverage of artifacts and surrounding landscape. New fan tributes documented since January.

October 2021

Third Scan

Major vandalism discovered — the crest sawed off, a large crater carved into the trunk. Critical damage documented.

Ongoing

Fourth Scan

Continued monitoring and documentation. Each visit reveals further deterioration and new acts of both tribute and vandalism.

Relocation

One proposed future for the tree is physical relocation to a protected environment — a museum, gallery, or cultural institution where it can be preserved and experienced by the public.

The 3D scans provide precise documentation that would be essential for any relocation effort, serving as a blueprint for reconstruction if the tree is damaged during transport.

Digital Twin

The digital twin of the tree will continue to evolve alongside the physical site, providing a permanent record that outlasts the organic material.

Future plans include real-time environmental monitoring, AI-powered deterioration tracking, and integration with augmented reality platforms for on-site and remote experiences.