Category: New Mexico

Posted on

Taos Pueblo

 

Pueblo de Taos
© Edmondo Gnerre
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492/gallery/

Taos Pueblo is an ancient, occupied multi-generational community in Northern New Mexico. “Pueblo” refers to both the physical buildings and community (stylized “pueblo”) and the native people of those communities (stylized “Pueblo”). The people are also known as Puebloans, or Pueblo peoples, and are native to the Southwestern United States (New Mexico, Arizona, Texas). They share a common culture, including food and agriculture, history, traditions, and religious practices. Aside from Taos, inhabited pueblos include San Ildefonso, Acoma, Zuni, and Hopi.

Taos Pueblo
© OUR PLACE The World Heritage Collection
Author: David Muench
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492/gallery/

The most recognizable feature of the Taos Pueblo community are the multi-story, red clay and adobe homes and community buildings. They span both sides of the Sacred Blue Lake/Rio Pueblo de Taos (a tributary of the Rio Grande) which is also the population’s only source of water. The community has been continuously occupied for over 1000 years, likely originally built between 1000 and 1450 C.E. It is both the longest continuously inhabited community in the United States, and the largest of the pueblos.

Taos Pueblo
© OUR PLACE The World Heritage Collection
Author: David Muench
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492/gallery/

The structures are built in terraced tiers, extending out as they descend toward the ground, and a height of five stories at maximum. “The property includes the walled village with two multi-storey adobe structures, seven kivas (underground ceremonial chambers), the ruins of a previous pueblo, four middens, a track for traditional foot-races, the ruins of the first church built in the 1600s and the present-day San Geronimo Catholic Church” UNESCO. The community sits at the base of the Taos mountains, the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains

old-taos-images-historic-museum-of-taos-015
https://taospueblo.com/history/

Spanish explorers arrived in 1540 C.E. and originally believed the community to be one of the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, a legend of Aztec mythology pursued by Coronado, among others. The miccaceous mineral (micca) found in the clay that is used to re-mud the homes every year shimmers in the light, seemingly like gold.

It is an occupied, inhabited, living community, with dwellings passed on within the family from eldest son to eldest son throughout generations. Taos Pueblo is recognized as both a U.S. National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors are welcome, but as an occupied space, access is limited to businesses and tourist centers, and photography of certain parts of the physical community and people is limited. The tribal land encompasses 95,000 acres with about 4,500 inhabitants. Approximately 150 people lived in the historic pueblo adobe dwellings as of 2010.

old-taos-images-historic-museum-of-taos-008
https://taospueblo.com/history/
old-taos-images-historic-museum-of-taos-003
https://taospueblo.com/history/
old-taos-images-historic-museum-of-taos-002
https://taospueblo.com/history/
Google Earth 3D aerial of Taos Pueblo buildings
Google Earth aerial of Taos Pueblo land

REFERENCES

Posted on

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

Posted on

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

Posted on

The McDonald Ranch House

McDonald-Schmidt Ranch House. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

The McDonald Ranch House in the Oscura Mountains of Socorro County, New Mexico, was the location of assembly of the world’s first nuclear weapon. The active components of the Trinity test “gadget”, a plutonium Fat Man-type bomb similar to that later dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, were assembled there on July 13, 1945. The completed bomb was winched up the test tower the following day and detonated on July 16, 1945, as the Trinity nuclear test.

The George McDonald Ranch House sits within an 85-by-85-foot (26 by 26 m) low stone wall. The house was built in 1913 by Franz Schmidt and is built of adobe, which was plastered and painted. The plutonium hemispheres for the pit of the Trinity nuclear test “gadget” (bomb) were delivered to the McDonald Ranch House on July 11, 1945.  Text via Wikipedia.

 

 

Posted on

Stuccoed in Time at 99% Invisible

Santa Fe is famous in part for a particular architectural style, an adobe look that’s known as Pueblo Revival. This aesthetic combines elements of indigenous pueblo architecture and New Mexico’s old Spanish missions, resulting in mostly low, brown buildings with smooth edges. Buildings in the city’s historic districts have to follow a number of design guidelines so that they conform with the dominant style. Deviating from those aesthetics can stir up a lot of controversy.

But this adherence to the “Santa Fe Style” hasn’t always been the norm. For a time, there was actually a powerful push to “Americanize” the city’s built environment. Then, over a century ago, a group of preservationists laid out a vision for the look and feel of Santa Fe architecture, and in the process dramatically transformed the town.

Learn more about the controversies and conundrums of what some call Santa Fake, the history of adobe in Santa Fe, and the how preservation and tradition have been at odds with each other at 99% Invisible.

Posted on

Earth USA 2013

Earth USA 2013 is the Seventh International Conference on Architecture and Construction with Earthen Materials initiated by Earth USA. The conference organizer is Adobe in Action.

The formal conference will take place on October 4 and 5, 2013 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. October 6th will be dedicated to local earthbuilding tours and excursions. The conference is being held at the New Mexico Museum of Art in the St. Francis Auditorium (107 West Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501). Earth USA 2013 indicates a wider field of interest than previous conferences and will include adobe, rammed earth, compressed earth block (CEB) and monolithic adobe (cob). Any material or method that uses clay as a binder is considered.

Earth USA 2013 is now accepting abstract submissions (due April 14, 2013) for conference presentations. For more information visit http://earthusa.org/

Posted on

House of Earth / Woody Guthrie


“In El Rancho Grande,” by Woody Guthrie (1936; Santa Fe, N.M.), oil on board.

The legendary Woody Guthrie, an American folk singer, was also a brilliant and distinctive prose stylist, whose writing is distinguished by a homespun authenticity, deep-seated purpose and remarkable ear for dialect. These attributes are on vivid display in Guthrie’s long-lost “House of Earth,” his only fully realized, but yet unpublished, novel written as a direct response to the Dust Bowl. In December 1936 the rambling troubadour had an epiphany while busking for tips in New Mexico. He’d traveled there after a treacherous duster whacked the Texas Panhandle town of Pampa, where he’d been living in poverty. While in New Mexico, Guthrie became transfixed by an adobe hacienda’s sturdy rain spouts and soil-straw bricks, a simple yet solid weatherproof structure unlike most of his Texan friends’ homes, which were poorly constructed with flimsy wooden boards and cheap nails.

An immediate convert, Guthrie purchased a nickel pamphlet, “Adobe or Sun-Dried Brick for Farm Buildings,” from the United States Department of Agriculture. The manual instructed poor rural folk on building adobe homes from the cellar up. All an amateur needed was a home-brew of clay loam, straw and water. Guthrie promoted this U.S.D.A. guide with wild-eyed zeal. Adobes, he boasted, would endure the Dust Bowl better than wooden aboveground structures that were vulnerable to wind, snow, dust and termites. If sharecroppers and tenant farmers could only own a piece of land — even the uncultivable territory of arroyos and red rocks — they could build a “house of earth” that would protect them from dirt blowing in through cracks in the walls.

Read more in an article Douglas Brinkley and Johnny Depp in the New York Times