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Contemporary Architects Association: Observatory in the Desert

The Observatory in the Desert is a public addition to a decaying mud village located in Esfahak, Iran, a village in the north-east of the country. The structure consists of mud brick and rammed earth walls, creating a concentric pattern that leads a person to the center raised platform between the highest walls; a perfect place for an observatory.

The project was conceived by the Contemporary Architects Association an organization based in Tehran, dedicated to “creating an environment where its teachers and students, equipped with a deep understanding of architectural knowledge, history, and theories, engage in meticulous observation of the current state with an analytical and research-driven approach,” and the Esfahak Mud Center (E.M.C) . The main lead of the project was Pouya Khazaeli, founder of Esfahak Mud Center (E.M.C), an organization whose aim is of reviving traditional clay and mud construction in Esfahak Village.

Together with selected students of the CAA, the group designed a model with clay to re-enact the process of building the structure. After understanding the patterns and modes of building, the group traveled to Esfahak and began moulding 20cm x 20cm bricks out of the found mud. As the moulds dried construction began with the original group, however eventually community members of all size, ability, and age came to the need of the designers.

Food was shared, stories were told, tea was served, and the process of building and designing turned into a community process; an intention the architects never set forth with.

The special 20cm x 20cm bricks were placed on the outside of the inner center at 45 degree rotation, reflecting the essence of the palm trees surrounding the space. A curved single person entry way leads you to the center of the structure, where the sky is framed by the circular opening.

The project inspired and engaged the locals, bringing life to an area that was surrounded by decaying structures and rubble. The group even received a “is this for us?” question from locals, with a resounding answer of “yes”. With all of the additional help and support from the community, the project took about 10 days. The Observatory in the Desert is a beautiful example of a cultural, communal, and material specific piece of architecture that was built locally by hand and engaged with active participants of all backgrounds.

Size: 69 square meters

Year: 2017

Photos: Anis Eshraghi

Architects: Amir Ali Zinati, Behnaz Motarjam, Aydin Emdadian, Sonia Begi, Bahar Mehdipour, Hamidreza Malekkhani, Ramtin Ramezani.

Advisor: Puya Khazaeli

Local colleagues: Mohsen Mehdizadeh, Mostafa Yaqoubi, Hossein Bagheri, Mehdi Hosseini

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rlO0HdpLLk Arch Daily video

[2] https://www.archdaily.com/873615/observatory-in-the-desert-contemporary-architects-association#:~:text=We%20don’t%20have%20a,even%20though%20it’s%20still%20early Arch Daily article

[3] https://en.caai.ir/about-caai/ Contemporary Architect’s Association

[4] https://esfahkmudcenter.org/?p=1885 Esfahk Mud Center

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pouya_Khazaeli Pouya Khazaeli

 

 

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Rudolph Schindler’s Adobe House Design in Taos, New Mexico

R. M. Schindler in Taos, October 1915. Photographer likely Victor Higgins. Courtesy UC Santa Barbara Art Museum, Architecture and Design Collections, Schindler Collection.

Rudolph Schindler was an Austrian architect that practiced in Southern California from 1920 to 1953. [1] Starting as a talented student at the “Wagnerschule” in Austria, Schindler became a pioneering figure in 20th-century modern architecture, ultimately emerging as one of the most significant influences of the Modern Movement in America. Rudolph was born in Austria but spent most of his life in the United States, establishing his identity as a “Californian architect”[2].

Nevertheless, Rudolph Schindler generally surpasses many boxes attributed to him with a term he championed in his work: space architecture, in which he sought the protagonism of materials into a “new architecture”[2]. Materials like adobe!

His country house in adobe project is the result of a trip to Taos, New Mexico in which Schindler allowed the Southwestern scene to fill his sketchbooks and camera films, influencing his designs and eventually his style[3]. 

Photograph taken by Schindler in 1915. Courtesy of New Mexico Architecture Magazine.

His sketches and photographs reveal a delicate eye sensitive to tradition in Southwestern America, and inevitably an understanding of the nature of this material[3]. Delineated lines in his sketchbook represent the characteristic irregular bulk of adobe walls, and his photographs show his interest in how adobe ultimately shapes space[3]. 

Sketch made by Rudolph Schindler in New Mexico. Courtesy of New Mexico Architecture Magazine.

These observations hung onto Schindler when he was commissioned to design a summer house for a client, Dr. T. P. Martin in a site spanning approximately 3 acres, set against the scenic backdrop of Taos, New Mexico. [4]

Taos Pueblo, October 1915. Photograph by R. M. Schindler. Courtesy UC Santa Barbara Art Museum, Architecture and Design Collections, Schindler Collection.
House Floor Plan Design by Schindler. Courtesy UC Santa Barbara Art Museum, Architecture and Design Collections, Schindler Collection.

In his proposed plan, Schindler advocated for a modernization of the Spanish Pueblo vernacular architecture he discovered featuring ADOBE, to draft his “Country Home in Adobe Construction” design that stretched horizontally within the site[4]. While the house plan did not model local tradition with its reigning symmetric layout, his material of choice, adobe, allocated him the freedom to explore what he inevitably noticed in his trip to Taos: the versatility of the material [3]. His design therefore probes the fundamental thickness of the adobe walls in the deep recesses of the windows and reveals adobe’s inherent lack of rectangular precision with the uneven surfaces of the walls[3].

As planned, his proposed layout sought to integrate harmoniously with the landscape as a low-rise adobe structure with viga ceilings and a large courtyard[4].

Perspective of Design by R.M. Schindler. Courtesy UC Santa Barbara Art Museum, Architecture and Design Collections, Schindler Collection.

This design never came to fruition, but the lessons that Schindler absorbed from New Mexico fundamentally embedded his designs with a vision he could only learn from the South, architecture as a question of space formed through materials[5]. 

“When I speak of American architecture I must say at once that there is none. . .The only buildings which testify to the deep feeling for soil on which they stand are the sun-baked adobe buildings of the first immigrants and their successors — Spanish and Mexican — in the south-western part of the country.”   

Letter from RMS to Richard Neutra, Los Angeles, California, ca. January, 1921: quoted in E. McCoy, Vienna to Los Angeles: Two Journeys (Santa Monica, Arts & Architecture) [6]

Citations

[1]”R.M. Schindler.” Los Angeles Conservancy, www.laconservancy.org/learn/architect-biographies/r-m-schindler/. Accessed [09/22/2024].

[2] Riemann, Joshua. “Rudolph M. Schindler : theory and design” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012, dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/79933

[3]Gebhard, David. “R.M. Schindler in New Mexico” New Mexico Architecture Magazine, vol. 7, no. 1, 1965.

[5] Blackman, Harrison. “The Art of Design, the influence of a place : the Emergence of Pueblo Revival Architecture in New Mexico.” Taos News, 30 May 2018, www.taosnews.com/magazines/the-art-of-design-the-influence-of-a-place-the-emergence-of-pueblo-revival-architecture/article_f56e3b41-8379-54a8-b424-df4770e8416d.html.

[4]Schmidts, Hannah. “Deep Dive: Rudolph M. Schindler’s Take on Californian Architecture.” New Classics, 13 July 2020, www.newclassics.ca/blogs/journal/deep-dive-rudolph-m-schindler-architecture?srsltid=AfmBOoqlF6sNPy0xk1V8ypxbl6XSa_-lTbYHs1OQjgR5SPz0QWbFu9sj.

[6] “R. M. Schindler and Richard Neutra: Space Architecture and the Pueblo” Southern California Architectural History, 18 May 2019, socalarchhistory.blogspot.com/2019/05/schindler-wrote-to-neutra-extolling.html

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Tequila Waste

(Photo courtesy of Astral Tequila)

Tequila Waste is a sustainable housing project in Mexico, built by adobe brick which made by soil and tequila waste,  the leftover bagasse and vinasse.

Tequila waste is abundant.  One standard .75-liter bottle of tequila produces more than 11 pounds of bagasse (the fibrous remnants of the agave piña after steaming, crushing and fermenting) and around 10 liters of vinasse (the liquid runoff of the distillation process). As the second most popular liquor in the world, the annual total production of tequila waste is overwhelming.

Bagasse is the fibrous waste from the agave plant. (Photo courtesy of Astral Tequila)

However bagasse is comprised mainly of cellulose and lignin, it can be repurposed into a number of valuable items, including construction materials, fertilizer, paper, wooden crafts, biofuels and even prebiotic dietary fiber. Leveraging this characteristic, Cardoso helped pioneer a solution to combine soil with the tequila waste to create an ancient building material known as adobe.

The adobe bricks not only repurpose tequila waste, but they’re also an excellent construction material for the warm, temperate climate in Mexico. Because of its high thermal mass, adobe stays cool during the day and releases heat at night, producing less waste, consuming less energy and creating a lower environmental impact than mainstream building materials. The more local the supplies to make the adobe, the smaller the carbon footprint. Plus, adobe buildings are remarkably resilient and can stand for centuries with regular maintenance.

Tahona wheel used in brick making process. (Photo courtesy of Astral Tequila)

To make the bricks, a machine combines the bagasse, vinasse and soil into heavy, wet adobe mud. A team of local employees then hand-packs the still-wet adobe into wooden molds that are left outside in the elements for ten days to cure—no oven, kiln or carbon emissions are required. As the mud shrinks and dries, the agave fibers provide reinforcement for the brick. Multiple bricks can easily be mortared together using more mud. Each bottle of Astral Tequila helps make approximately two bricks, each measuring roughly 16 inches long, 8 inches wide and 4 inches tall. The project produces around 300 bricks a day.

Adobe house built using Astral Tequila Agave fibers.  (Photo courtesy of Astral Tequila)

By using this adobe brick as the construction,  Cardoso and her group work with Hábitat para la Humanidad and Green Loop to provide bricks and other necessary construction materials for ten new homes and community spaces in the local municipality of Gómez Farias, Jalisco, Mexico.

Martha Jimenez Cardoso, pictured with a bottle of Astral Tequila. (Photo courtesy of Astral Tequila)

Martha Jimenez Cardoso as a director of sustainability and civil engineer at Astral Tequila worked for this project. As an STEM engineer who was born in a small indigenous village of Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepex in Oaxaca, Mexico she said that this project has allowed her to “make positive changes to the community through my work” something that has always been a dream of hers.

Citation

[1] PR Newswire. (2023). Astral Tequila launches ‘This Round’s for the House’ initiative as a part of its ongoing upcycling program, the Adobe Brick Project, to build homes and brighten communities in Mexico. PR Newswire. Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/astral-tequila-launches-this-rounds-for-the-house-initiative-as-a-part-of-its-ongoing-upcycling-program-the-adobe-brick-project-to-build-homes-and-brighten-communities-in-mexico-301797281.html

[2] Peña-Calderon, M. (2023). Martha Jiménez Cardoso on how women in STEM can change the world. People en Español. Retrieved from https://peopleenespanol.com/chica/earth-day-month-astral-tequila-sustainability-martha-jimenez-cardos/

[3] Madkour, A. (2023). Meet the Indigenous engineer upcycling tequila waste into sustainable housing. Modern Farmer. Retrieved from https://modernfarmer.com/2023/04/meet-the-indigenous-engineer-upcycling-tequila-waste-into-sustainable-housing/

[4] MultiVu. (2023). Astral Tequila launches ‘This Round’s for the House’ initiative as part of its ongoing upcycling program. MultiVu. Retrieved from https://www2.multivu.com/players/English/9157751-astral-tequila-launches-this-rounds-for-the-house-initiative/

[5] Sustainable Brands. (2023). Astral Tequila uses spent agave to make bricks for homes for Mexican families. Sustainable Brands. Retrieved from https://sustainablebrands.com/read/circular-economy/astral-tequila-spent-agave-bricks-homes-mexican-families

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La Luz

modern adobe fence in front of glass and geometric rooftop bifurcated with cylindrical column against a blue cloudy sky
Credit: Mhd Alaa Eddin Arar

La Luz, designed by Antoine Predock, is a planned townhouse community that blends modern architecture with materials that reflect the cultural heritage and traditional building practices of the southwest region. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on open land between the Rio Grande and the Sandia Mountains, La Luz was conceived by Predock in 1967 and completed by 1974.

The development features 96 townhomes, ranging from 1,500 to 2,100 square feet, clustered together with 16-inch thick adobe walls. This design choice not only pays homage to traditional Southwestern architecture but also serves a functional purpose by providing excellent thermal mass for passive climate control.

La Luz MasterPlan from aerial view in black and white that illustrates rows of townhouses, streets and community amenities like tennis courts, pool, and green spaces
Credit: Antoine Predock Architect PC

The townhouses in La Luz’s layout are oriented eastward, offering residents picturesque views of the Sandia Mountains and morning sun, while the western facade features mostly blank walls to shield against harsh afternoon sun and dust storms. Private courtyards act as solar traps in winter and provide shade in summer.

distant view of adobe townhouses in front of mountains and surrounded by desert grasses
Credit: Jerry Goffe

The site design is inspired by the architectural heritage of Native pueblos and Hispanic villages in New Mexico and is accentuated with curved walls, which soften the overall aesthetic and mirror the natural contours of the landscape.

The development contributes to a sense of community through the inclusion of shared green space, fountains, pedestrian paths, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. La Luz also preserves 40 acres of untouched land as a permanent natural preserve.

La Luz, with its adobe-inspired design, became the cornerstone that cast Predock into the national spotlight and lay the foundation for the recognition he received in the American architectural field.

Despite not being a native of New Mexico, Predock considered Albuquerque his spiritual home and the place that shaped his architectural vision.

wide angle photograph of the architect, a white male with black shirt and pants surrounded by small scale building models
Credit: Antoine Predock Architect PC

Born on June 24, 1936, in Lebanon, Missouri, Predock’s architectural journey began while taking a technical drawing course taught by Professor Don Schlegel during his time as an engineering student at the University of New Mexico. This experience compelled Predock to transfer to Columbia University to pursue his B.A. in architecture, which he received in 1962.

After graduation, Predock was awarded a traveling fellowship that allowed him to explore Spain, Portugal, and other parts of Europe for two years. After apprenticing, he established his own architectural firm, La Luz was one of the firm’s early projects that highlighted his unique approach toward weaving modernism with the regional traditions of the American southwest.

CITATIONS:

[1] Predock, A. (n.d.). La Luz. Antoine Predock Architect PC. Retrieved from http://www.predock.com/LaLuz/La%20Luz.html

[2] Predock, A. (n.d.). Desert Beginnings. Antoine Predock Architect PC. Retrieved from http://www.predock.com/DesertBeginnings/desertbeginnings.html

[3] Pearson, C. A. (2024, March 4). Tribute: Antoine Predock (1936–2024). Architectural Record. Retrieved from https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/16768-tribute-antoine-predock-19362024

[4] Albuquerque Modernism. (n.d.). La Luz Community. University of New Mexico. Retrieved from https://albuquerquemodernism.unm.edu/posts/cs13_la_luz.html

[5] Wilson, C. (2014). La Luz Community. SAH Archipedia. Retrieved from https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/NM-01-001-0007

[6] Lucas, C. (n.d.). Architect Antoine Predock’s La Luz Community. Chris Lucas ABQ. Retrieved from https://www.chrislucasabq.com/post/flyer-architect-antoine-predocks-la-luz-community-5-tennis-court-nw-87120

[7] Docomomo US. (2022, July 14). The Planned Community of La Luz is Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved from https://www.docomomo-us.org/news/the-planned-community-of-la-luz-is-listed-on-the-national-register-of-historic-places

[8] AIA Los Angeles. (n.d.). Antoine Predock, FAIA. Retrieved from https://aiala.com/antoine-predock-faia/

[9] World-Architects. (2024, March 4). Antoine Predock, 1936-2024. Retrieved from https://www.world-architects.com/en/architecture-news/headlines/antoine-predock-1936-2024

[10] American Academy in Rome. (2024, March 6). In Memoriam: Antoine Predock. Retrieved from https://www.aarome.org/news/features/memoriam-antoine-predock