The Architect's Guide to Taos

Taos' Boardwalks

2012-03-05T15:33:00.000-08:00

Did you know that once upon a time Taos' sidewalks were actually boardwalks? Yep, it's true. There are a few left... If you'd like to see them, here they are, with locations...

Boardwalk on the south side of Ranchitos on the way to the Harwood - in front of the Trujillo home - one of Taos' only historic and intact Spanish-Colonial style homes

Boardwalk to the Hulse Warman Gallery on Paseo Norte - one of Taos' most perfect Northern New Mexico style homes

snow on new boardwalk over old boardwalk at Lenny Foster Gallery/Greg Moon/Horsefeathers on Kit Carson

Eventually we'll be building a map of the coolest architectural things to see in Taos, and we'll put all these there too.

Taos' Martinez Hacienda

2012-03-05T08:12:00.002-08:00

After three years of living in Taos, and becoming known as a local expert in New Mexico's historic archaeology and architecture from the Pre-Puebloans to the modern, one would think I had already made it to the Martinez Hacienda in Taos. Despite the fact that it is down the street (Ranchitos) and FREE on Sundays! Like another Taos gem - the Millicent Rogers Museum, which took me two years to get to - I just didn't make time. Until yesterday.

We got to the hacienda a little over an hour before they closed at 4. I thought to myself "easy, NO problem." and we went in. Little did I know how much there was to see. The women at the front were more than helpful, they were kind... sweet, even... and very excited to have locals there. Evidently we weren't the only ones who forget it is there.

What we discovered inside made my little architect's heart flutter. The restored early 19th century hacienda was DOUBLE COURT-YARDED! What a treat! Effectively, the design had a courtyard for the family - home, and a courtyard for the day-to-day goings on of running a trade & agricultural center - work. It was, for all intensive purposes and in the modern parlance - a live-work space!

The hacienda is true Spanish-Colonial architecture at its core, with some updates from the late 19th century like larger window openings to the interior courtyards and hand-hewn decorative corbels in the chapel, and more modern updates that make it better function as a museum.

The hacienda had achieved the perfect form for it's time: It was a secure and defensible O-shaped structure (actually two put together to form an 8-shape) that had been formed over many years with many additions. You can see the edges of the additions where floor levels, ceiling levels, and foundation styles change.

The place is a great gift to the people of Taos and New Mexico. It tells so much of the NM architecture story, without even really trying. And its filled with the tools with which the settlers built our story. I highly recommend a visit!


exposed foundation

Old time spice rack

Heated sleeping bunk in the kitchen

Natural weaving tools

Yokes

Rake

Brands and Ropes

Blacksmith's forge

Taos' Best Architecture Series: Agnes Martin Room at the HarwoodMuseum

2012-02-28T12:00:00.003-08:00

I have to confess: 1) I am NOT a modernist, and 2) I don't LOVE Agnes Martin with the wild abandon of local pride that it seems every Taoseno does. (Well, at least the 1/3 the population of more recent transplants, anyway...)

However, I do LOVE the modernist space created to house a series of white on white paintings she did that is housed in the Harwood Museum of Art.

My husband giving the room scale

The space is an exceptional example of scale and roundness (the roundness an illusion created by the octagonal sides that allow for hanging pictures on flat walls). The dramatic architecture further unfolds with white on white paintings on a white background, wood floors that make the space feel more texturally rich... and the oculus. Oh, the oculus! It is exquisite - simple and elegant... In a way, the space is a minaturized, stripped down, modernized, version of the Pantheon in Rome. Minus the more subtle sacred geometry, classical details (after all it wouldn't be modernist with those, would it?), and astronomical references.

Oculus

The Anges Martin Gallery is a place people are naturally attracted to - I think partly because the scale is anthropomorphic and proportional, and partly because a wash of white makes the room seem "empty" until you realize there's more to it - the combination of elements creates a tension that demands exploration - and that is SEXY architecture!

Whatever the reason, the space is wonderful, and, as part of the Harwood... is on my list of "don't miss" spots in Taos. Any reason to get to the Harwood is a great one. The museum is a treasure, architecturally and artfully.

New Mexico Acequia Art

2012-02-28T10:40:00.000-08:00

Acequia art as discovered throughout New Mexico...
this will be a constantly evolving page... check back for updates!


Natural acequias at Taos Town Hall

The first acequias, as discovered by the Spanish. Pueblo people used to use natural watercourses, damming them and creating ponds so they could control the flow of the natural watercourses.

Spanish acequia control at Taos Town Hall

In the second wave, Hispanic settlers installed acequias where they wanted them, within the limitations of the landscape, using natural swells and drainages in concert with a rich topographical understanding.

Acequia landscape at John Gaw Meem's Hall at Los Poblanos Inn in ABQ.

Eventually acequias became a part of our "natural" landscape, so subtle and taken for granted that they were almost forgotten, and many were allowed to break down irreparably. But all is not lost! Communities throughout the state are working now to save their acequias and bring the water back to their fields.

Taos' Rarest Architecture Series: Hanuman Ashram

2012-02-28T09:35:00.003-08:00

One of my favorite rare places in Taos is not just my favorite because it is somewhat rare to find a Hindu temple in New Mexico. Nor is it my favorite because I enjoy friendships with people at the ashram, or because I like going there from time to time to find peace. The Neem Karoli Baba ashram is special to me architecturally because it uses passive solar design, New Mexico traditionally-influenced architecture, and...

tierra blanca and sweet tile details in temple room

It is one of the only places left in New Mexico that features a uniquely local adaptation of the incredible micaceous plaster called Tierra Blanca that has been used in NM for hundreds of years. The plaster is found in the main temple room, a space designed to honor both the teacher Neem Karoli Baba - or Maharaj-ji, as his followers call him - and Hanuman, a monkey-faced god who is worshipped in India as a yogic guardian whose temples protect an area (and pathways and people, too) from evil.

Tierra Blanca is an interior plaster that has a high white clay content, and beautiful shards of mica encrusted in it. It is stunning, especially used in this sacred context. It is also very, very rare to find it being used in modern architecture. Especially public architecture. The clay earth used for the purpose is found just south of Taos.

detail of mica flakes in tierra blanca

If you'd like to see this rare earth plaster, the temple is open every day from 7-9, and all are welcome. (Click on links above for address)

Be sure to grab a cup of chai, enjoy the gardens, and find a moment to take few breaths and just settle in when you visit. This place is magical and healing, and you'll probably feel it.
Just don't take photos, especially of the altars, without permission. (which was obtained for this post)

And for those of you who might be interested in sustainability, the temple also has its own permaculture farm!

Taos' Best Architecture Series: The Love Apple

2012-02-23T13:08:00.001-08:00

I LOVE the Love Apple (Pomme d'Amor) on Paseo Norte - it is an architectural triple threat - it has great historic architecture, it was formerly a small chapel so the sense of sacredness pulses through the space, AND they have one of the best menus in Taos, featuring delicious and inspired food in the locavore tradition. The building is a nineteenth century stuccoed adobe chapel, with high ceilings, exposed vigas (ceiling beams), sweet details like niches, and even an altar or two. It is a great, relatively intact, example of a Spanish-Colonial influenced sacred space.

For architectural photographers, its heavenly. (punny!)

The "steeple," if you can call it that, seems as if it is balanced precariously on the building. Rest assured though, it is happy where it is, though the cross atop, maybe not so much... If you visit in the late spring thru the fall, there is a dining patio out front where you can enjoy the historic architecture. Be SURE to go inside though because the interior is fabulous!

The shutters and ladders, textures and intact dais that is set up for a large group... everything that is great about architecture and food comes together in a sacred way here.

We highly recommend a visit next time you are on the north side of town. Just remember to bring cash, because they don't take cards, and an appetite for good food in a fabulous spot. The Love Apple is open for dinner Tuesday-Sunday at 5PM.

Route 66 in Taos? well, sort of

2012-02-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

Really, during the heyday of Route 66 in New Mexico, from the late 1930's to the 1960s, the best of Americana was thought to be found on the way to LA through New Mexico. Taos, as she had for 200 years before, was a pilgrimage. Many people made it, but when they arrived they found a break from the neon highway. Taos danced to the beat of her own drum, so the style of Americana architecture and neon signs mostly avoided her. the last homages of the era can be seen in four places about town. (directions omitted to add to the quality of the victory when discovered)

The former plaza drug store's aluminum facade

The Taos Inn Neon Sign

The El Pueblo Lodge Sign

?

Okay neighbors, what's missing? ; )
(yes, its a test..)

Textures of Earth: Stucco and Plaster in New Mexico

2012-02-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

So one of my most often asked questions about architecture in New Mexico is "Why do the stuccos look so different?" Which if people really knew what to ask, would actually be "What is the difference between earth plasters and stucco?"

Honestly, I had no idea what the difference was until I moved to Taos and started doing historic preservation around New Mexico, because everywhere I had worked previously, we used synthetic stucco. So I had to learn, which I did by participating in the enjarre at Saint Francis Church in Ranchos Plaza and various historic preservation training events around the state.

that's me, working on the southside fence at St. Francis

The first difference, which is a difference pretty much world-wide, between stucco and plaster is that stucco is used outside and plaster inside. They have slightly different ingredients, or similar ingredients in different proportions, for durability and finish reasons. But that's an outside thing.

What makes New Mexico stuccoes and plasters so awesome is that they have more than a thousand year history. Without getting into too much technical detail, the earth plasters we use today are very similar to the ones that the ancient forebearers of the Pueblo people of New Mexico used. They are constructed of a mix, varying depending on location, of clay, sand, straw (an agriculture byproduct), and water. Yes. I'm serious. It's like making mud pies on a grand scale. And they are SUPER fun to apply. One of the old golondrinas at the church taught me one of the myriad of ways to apply earth stucco. It involved making a mud ball, like a snowball, and flinging it with all my might at the wall from about 2 feet away. It was satisfying and cathartic and, once you get the hang if it, application went very quickly.

Earth plasters are EXTREMELY sustainable, as they are:

locally-obtained, produced, and applied
use sweat equity
can be done by anyone
respond to nature like the earth would, by breathing

Now, these beautiful finishes require one thing that made them very nearly obsolete. As people had less time for maintenance, this became the death-nail for earth plaster:

These walls require remudding annually.

But, they are gorgeous. They are amazingly cool (temperature-wise) to the touch. Sadly, there are very few examples of these finishes left in Taos. If you'd like to see them, you'll have to go to The Hulse/Warman Gallery on Paseo Norte, the Martinez Hacienda on Ranchitos Road, the Saint Francis Church in Ranchos, or El Meze on Paseo Norte.

Fresh earth plaster at St. Francis

Fine straw in this earth plaster at El Meze

Now, there is a version of white plaster that does not use straw, it only uses clay, sand, lime, and water. That's called lime plaster (oddly enough) and it's the white "paint" you see under the portals in lots of earth-plastered historic buildings throughout New Mexico. The reason these white areas are limited to under portals is actually quite logical - they reflect light better - illuminating the shaded areas more effectively that earth tone colors - and because the coating is really like an interior plaster, it can only really wear well under cover.

moth on a modern stucco wall

The last kind of plaster is really stucco. Its either cement or elastomeric (basically a rubbery kind of plastic) based. The cement kind is way cheaper, and the elastomeric version is very expensive but lasts a really long time. The downside of both these stucco systems is that they basically kill historic adobe. As a preservationist, I am always devastated to find a historic building has been cement stuccoed. It's brought me to tears on more than one occasion. Because historic adobes weren't made with cement, they are, well... I don't know how to put this except to say it... they are alive. They drink sustenance (humidity) and they breathe - shrinking when the environment is too dry and puffing up when its wet. Once they are "encapsulated" in a non-breathing coating, they start to choke, and then they break down. Moreover, once these stuccoes form a crack, water seeps into the crack and then gets trapped in the wall, and basically turns the wall structure to mud. St. Francis and many other churches across New Mexico have almost been lost when they removed the cement plaster and found piles of sand beneath. On new frame or CMU (cinderblock) structures, these products are fine. For the REAL New Mexico, they are not.

So there you have a small taste of the difference between stuccos and plasters in New Mexico. Hope this helps!

Taos' Ugly Architecture: Salazar House

2012-02-22T14:55:00.000-08:00

Now, I don't like to get snipe-y about architecture but sometimes its necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, so we can see what works and what doesn't. So we can make better decisions about our future. So we can find joy in the spaces we surround ourselves with.
There have been a rash of ugly buildings popping up around Taos that are not just ugly, they are also reeking of bad design.

This is one. Its taken nearly 2 years to build, probably because its so ugly no-one wanted it finished.
I won't get into why its ugly, that's apparent. No amount of painted stucco can fix the ugly here.
But here's why its a model of bad design:

The stone base around the house serves no purpose except to become a haven for rodents and critters, and water and/or snow around the base of the structure which will not melt because it will be down in all the nooks and crannies and not exposed to the sun. This threatens the foundation.
You really don't need deep shade devices on the east, and if you have shade devices at all, you make them permeable so they don't hold water and let the good light in (but keep the bad light and glare out). If you do have a solid shade device, you put a slope on it so it won't hold water and snow.
The windows are inoperable. WHAT is that about? Does this person live in Taos, where the spring and fall are prime open-air times? Are they afraid of fresh air? Because the Passiv Haus, which this is taken from, DOESN'T WORK WHEN THE POWER OR GAS GOES OUT. Do you remember huddling together in front of the fire last winter when we didn't have gas? Mechanical systems require power, at least, and gas too in certain combinations. So when it gets cold, good luck, because there are not enough south-facing windows on this building to help with solar gain so you can stay warm!
The parapet doesn't go all the way around the building, and in fact, has no reason for being at all.
The shade device over the door is preventing the snow from melting at the entrance, and you can see clearly in this photo. Yes, I realize its a death trap, or a litigation trap. Think the designer does?
Each of those punched holes with a glass block in it probably took an hour to frame and fill. An hour that someone paid good money for, for very little effect.
Why are there sidewalls at the front door and not a vestibule? The door faces WEST, primary direction of HOT summer winds, and dust, which we get to enjoy imported from Arizona. This will exacerbate it by funneling it into the structure.
All that water is going where? no where! its a resource! We should treat it as such!
Barren lot plus no landscaping? NOOOO! There should be trees on the south and west of the house for summer shading and just general beauty and approachability! Approachability means more business if its a business! Evergreens on the north to shed the winter winds! Come on!

These are just a few things I noticed as I passed by yesterday. I haven't been inside. But as far as good design goes, I have the information I need to say NO WAY, this does NOT work for Taos. We have a responsibility to future generations to not make more bad architecture that uses resources unwisely and puts a burden on the owner to work harder (major maintenance issues, let alone comfort issues) for less (satisfaction).

I'm starting today, by sharing what is bad with my community so we can know what not to do next time. Because good design saves money, time, and effort, and it makes you happy.

Preservation Action! The Proposed Retreat Center at the Chimayo Historic Site

2012-02-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

el sanctuario , undated

A proposed plan to builda resort retreat center to the area directly adjacent to the Sanctuario deChimayo has polarized many residents in the small hamlet, as well as a greatmany preservation and sacred site activists in the state of New Mexico. Thestory, as we've watched it unfold, goes something like this... (click on linksin text for the referred article, site or book)

What they want to do (we'll try and get better photos asap):

A letter started itall...

Dear Friends,

The front page of the12-22-11 SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN featured a galvanizingarticle on recent plans for Chimayo: "Building spirituality orruining it". A Santa Fe entrepreneur is working with the CatholicChurch to develop (one might even say "devour") the properties andhillside in front of El Santuario at El Potrero. Their development plan callsfor a sprawling, 2-story complex called "Jardín de Los NiñosSpiritual Retreat" that will be built directly in front of andclose to El Santuario.

The same people pushingfor the retreat are responsible for turning the once somber, authentic SantoNiño chapel into what has been described as a "sanitized Disneyesquefarce," suggesting what the area across from El Santuario mightwell look like if they are given free rein to build a retreat center.

el nino before

el nino now

El Santuario is listedon the State Registry of Historic properties and the Federal Registry ofNational Historic Landmarks. Unfortunately, Santa Fe County currently hasvery lax standards for property development in Chimayo.

After several weeks ofmeetings with Santa Fe County and the Chimayo community we know thefollowing:

The majority of peoplein Chimayo DO NOT want this to happen. Already, their antipathy is sharedby many in Santa Fe County and beyond.

The plans for theretreat center were not revealed to Chimayo residents until the story wasleaked in a 12-3-11 ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL SANTA FE/NORTH (AP)article.

The retreat center is tobe built on lands owned by both the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and aninternational Catholic organization called The Sons of the Holy Family. The Santa Fe Archdiocese is allowing their land to be developed by the Santa Febusinessman, though the details of their relationship are nebulous.

The architectural plans(see NEW MEXICAN article map) ignore legal easements used by private propertyowners in the neighborhood.

One thing is certain: Ifbuilt, the proposed retreat center will overwhelm what many believe to beone of New Mexico's most important and unique historic sites and will make thehistoric neighborhood unlivable. The Church also owns 40 acres of landjust south of El Potrero so more building may be in store.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

The retreat center is inthe process of having their plans reviewed by Santa Fe County Zoning andPlanning agencies. Sadly, the existing rules and regulations for propertydevelopment in Santa Fe County are very broad and allow properties aroundhistorically sensitive places to be developed piecemeal. However,the County is about 8 months away from putting in place new rules andregulations that may include more restrictive "site specific"guidelines for historic areas like El Santuario.

Please send a briefemail or letter to the contact names below saying that the "Jardín de LosNiños Spiritual Retreat" SHOULD NOT BE BUILT near the Santuario andencouraging the County to halt approval of all applications for zoning changesand for new construction near the Santuario de Chimayo until a comprehensiveplan is in place that will protect the lives of residents of El Potrero and thehistoric integrity of the Santuario.

Second, please print outand sign the petition (see attached pdf) and mail it to the addressbelow. It will be included among the signed petitions that we willpresent to County Commissioners at a public meeting.

Strong public outcry isthe only hope we have.

Please forward this toanyone you know who can help and thank you so much!

Sincerely,

FRIENDS OF EL SANTUARIO

P.O. Box 438

Chimayo, NM 87522

Marta Weigle, NewMexico's distinguished folklorist and University of New Mexico ProfessorEmerita passed along this first newspaper article and appeal from Elizabeth Kayabout the proposed retreat center to some of her friends in Chimayo and somepreservation peers in New Mexico. Within days, word had spread through the townand through the preservation community. She is widely credited as the reasonthis project is receiving a form of architectural and preservation duediligence. As one Chimayo resident said, "Maybe we wouldn't have knownabout this until the bulldozers showed up."

el sanctuario, 2011

Commentary about theproposed new retreat center

RICK A. RICE's overviewof the crisis in Chimayo, which he continues to update, that includes historicphotographs of the Santuario and the Santo Niño chapel (before and after its recentmakeover.)

LYNDA SANCHEZ is anaward winning preservationist from southern New Mexico who has been a vocal advocate of the preservation of the siteand landscape. Lynda helped in the preservation efforts of Fort Stantonand historic buildings in Lincoln County.

TOM MCINTOSH - TomMcIntosh, RPA's blog site about the threat to Chimayo.

Video

Local News coverage on the plan

Historic Drawings andDocuments of the Sanctuario and Environs

For a brief overview ofthe history of the Chimayo villita, sanctuario, and portrero... visit it's story at the NM Office of the State Historian'swebsite. WILLIAM WROTH, historian and author of "Santuario deChimayo," linked above, is in the process of nominating El Potrero as anendangered place.

Sanctuario de Chimayohand drawings signed by NPS pioneer Landscape Architect Tom Vint atthe Historic American Building Survey

Recommended Reading:(Title links to Amazon)

Benigna's Chimayo: Cuentos From The Old Plaza

Don J. Usner , ArturoUsner Chavez, Stella Chavez Usner

Sabino's Map: Life in Chimayo's Old Plaza

Don J. Usner

Review at the HighCountry News

Do you Care? GetInvolved!

CHIMAYO CITIZENS FORCOMMUNITY PLANNING (CCCP) is an organization whose mission is to supportresponsible growth that is sensitive to and compatible with the historicalassets and traditional cultural values of Chimayo, and is protective ofChimayo's natural resources, its historic properties, its cultural landscapesand view-sheds. CCCP meets weekly and is in communication with Santa FeCounty, Chimayo property owners and developers. CCCP is having amembership drive in order to be recognized by Santa Fe County as a legitimatecommunity voice. If you live in Chimayo or own property here, please signour membership list at our next meeting. Or, email us your name, addressand phone number. Membership is free. Email: cccp@cybermesa.com

Want to write someone tooffer your support?

SUGGESTED CONTACTS

Santa Fe CountyCommissioners

Virginia Vigil vvigil@santafecounty.org

Liz Stephanics lstefanics@santafecounty.org

Daniel Mayfield dmayfield@santafecounty.org

Robert Anaya ranaya@santafecounty.org

Kathy Holian kholian@santafecounty.org

SF County AdvisoryCommittee Member

Jerry Rogers jrogers@cnsp.com

OTHER IMPORTANT CONTACTS

Jan V. Biella, RPA
Interim New Mexico State Historic Preservation Officer

Historic PreservationDivision505-827-4045
email: jan.biella@state.nm.us

Rick Hendricks
State Historian
rick.Hendricks@state.nm.us

Gary Romero
Director of National Hispanic Cultural Center
gary.romero@state.nm.Us

NEWSPAPERS: LETTER TOEDITOR

The Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/SendLetter/

The Rio Grande Sun
http://www.riograndesun.com/forms/letters/

Albuquerque Journal
http://www.abqjournal.com/letters/new

Santa Fe Reporter

http://www.sfreporter.com/

Taos Historic District Acequias

2012-02-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

Theacequias of Taos are one of our greatest cultural treasures. The acequias tellthe history of our agricultural community - how it evolved and grew as aresponse to its physical and cultural environment - and they act as a gauge ofour health as a community today. The functionality of the acequias can make orbreak our farming community by dictating whether local crops will be availablein summer and fall, they make available different water-loving species ofplants that can be used in folk medicines, they provide a habitat for a greatmany species of birds, insects and animals... and more than that, the acequiashelp to recharge our aquifer and protect our structures from storm flooding.

GPSMapping expeditions conducted by Archinia and our team in 2011 on the 4 majoracequias in the historic district indicated the total length of the majorarteries as 19684.3 lf = 3.79 miles. Those arteries, and their uniquecharacteristics are:

Madre Acequia

The Madre Ditchis located almost wholly on Taos Pueblo lands. It is open ditch type, within ahigh berm (5’ tall in some areas) for flood control. This acequia feeds boththe Kit Carson Laterals and the Van Vectin Laterals, the latter of which sourceboth the La Loma and Paseo Ditches. There are a few small sections withconcrete and metal gatesoccurring along the ditch. The ditch is in need of a thorough cleaning. An areajust north of the Kit Carson Park border appears to be a “no-mans land” and itis unclear whether this is Pueblo or Town property, or privately held. There isa functional pond here presumably used for overflow, fed by 3 separate lateralsoff the Madre ditch.

La Loma Ditch

The La Loma Ditch startsat the El Pueblo Lodge on Paseo del Pueblo Norte and traverses west alongTheodora, where it turns south and west, eventually crossing Camino de laPlacita at the Plaza de Retiro and working slowly south and west along the westside of the new middle school and Enos Garcia, continuing along Saavedra to LaLoma Street, and then turning west to cross San Antonio behind La Loma Plazaand moving southwest along Valverde towards Ranchitos Road. This acequia is uniquein that the vast majority of it is open dirt. It has an “earthy” way about itand it is extremely clean and well-kept, save that many of the culverts coulduse cleaning out or outright replacement, there are a great many Cottonwood andChinese Elm trees that should be removed and some areas could be dug out tofacilitate better water flows – a low cost solution that could be completed onannual cleaning day(s).

Paseo ditch

Paseo Ditch

The Paseo Ditchillustrates a sad part of Taos’ history. With growth, many people abandonedtheir acequias or moved them underground. Many did so, including governmentalauthorities, without consulting the acequia associations. This has rendered the Paseoacequia severely damaged and in need of substantial intervention. The majority of this ditch is underground,and its only story is the one told in the subtle cracks left in the roads whereits culvert is buried.

There are sectionswhere the acequia was honored. The visible remnants of acequias along Paseo aremore often beautiful than not. They may be lined with grass, concrete, stone,or gravel. Some are landscaped. Some businesses have even installed fauxacequias. Most of the reason for this acequias’ failure is abandonment.Culverts were not cleared, sidewalks are built over the trench with no path forthe water to go, and many underground culverts were either incorrectlyinstalled or improperly maintained, so that they are full of trash and dirt,causing flooding when the water cannot continue on its path due to blockagedownstream. This disrepair threatens every home and business along the acequia withflooding.

Kit Carson laterals

Kit CarsonLaterals

The acequias inKit Carson Park have several unique laterals. One at the north runs east-westalong the north perimeter of First Presbyterian Church, then turns south torejoin and pass through the northwest corner of the park; another runsdiagonally from the northeast corner of the park in a southwesterly direction tothe intersection of Civic Plaza Drive (apparently a portion of what is effectively a drainage now is actually the original plaza ditch identified in 1845 maps of Taos); and the last runsdiagonally from northeast to southwest, wrapping around the corner of the KitCarson State Cemetery and southwest along Dragoon Lane and across Kit CarsonState Highway past the Couse-Sharp Historic Site, splitting to traverse alongand across Quesnel .

These ditches areunique in that they are predominately open type and grass-lined. They aresinuous, wrapping around trees and the form of the landscape, and they seem“soft” until they leave the open sections at Kit Carson Park to go undergroundalong the west side of Dragoon. This “softness,” grassy lining and sinuousnature of these ditches should be preserved, and cottonwood trees along theditch removed as soon as possible, and especially if they are ill.

Lateral

Laterals (general)

Because theacequias have not been fully functional in the recent past, and many laterals thereforeabandoned, these off-shoot ditches can generally be described as in need ofdigging out as well as vegetative and detritus removal prior to an acequiareturning to full capacity. Note in the photo above that everything downstream(to the bottom) of the last split is overburdened with dirt. It is not possiblefor water to pass through… which not only damages the wall to the side as theentire area floods, but also this condition prevents water from reaching the LaLoma and Paseo ditches. This is a problem at mostlaterals that shall be addressed prior to opening ANY of the ditches currentlynot running.

Saving our Acequias

The three most important things we can do to preserve our acequias are:

Participate! Get involved in annual clean-up days

Liberate! Remove dead and dying cottonwoods, and do NOT replace them!

Educate! Implement a planting and building setback guide, as shown here:

Setbacks

Planting andStructures shouldbe held back from the acequias at the following distances:

Lawn& Flowers: acceptable any location, with approved plants (see below)
DwarfTrees: 15' or more from center of ditch/pipe
semi-DwarfTrees: 25' or more from center of ditch/pipe
Treesabove 50' tall: 50' or more from center of ditch/pipe
Structures:15' or more from center of ditch/pipe
Fenceposts/lightposts: 3’ or more from center of ditch/pipe

Acceptable plants:

To determine what types of plantings are acceptable (per the abovedistance guidelines), consult the state’s list of plants and trees which do notthreaten the well-being of our acequias at this link: http://wuc.ose.state.nm.us/Plants/

Taos' Unique National Register Properties

2012-01-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

Included herein are the National Register Nominations of several of Taos' most important buildings. Click on the photo or the text to check out the nomination. I'll add to these as I obtain access to the historic files!

Hopefully all of my historian and architect peers will enjoy!

The Kit Carson house has my favorite Taos Kitchen!

Kit Carson Home and Masonic Historic Site

Gov. Bent House

Blumenschein Home

Couse-Sharp Historic Site

Stables Gallery

Taos Inn

Beimer House - Taos' ONLY Craftsman House

Happy birthday Diego Rivera!

2011-12-08T15:17:00.001-08:00

If you saw the google doodle today, you know that Mexican muralist Diego Rivera would be 125 today. Several muralists who have works in Taos studied with the master himself!

Puebloan Style Trait Chart

2011-11-30T10:56:00.001-08:00

The REAL Taos Downtown

2011-11-30T10:03:00.001-08:00

One of the more ironic aspects of Taos is that we like to talk about how Santa Fe is so fake, being an intentionally designed city and all...
What many people don't realize is that the Taos Plaza is JUST as contrived, only its somewhat more accidental. A fire in 1932 burned our beautiful and unique plaza, which had buildings from all styles and periods in it. Here's what Taos USED to look like...

Thanks to Robert Cafazzo of Two Graces Gallery in Ranchos for this photo!

Taos Design: Christmas Shopping Ideas

2011-11-25T14:01:00.001-08:00

AMAZING recycled art piece at Seconds Eco Store in the John Dunn Shops

I love Taos and I want people to spend their money here. There are some GREAT designers here, doing cool things. Today I went out in search of the best designed Christmas Ideas around town, priced from $10 to $100. Here's what I found...

At the the Arts and Crafts fair at Taos Convention Center THIS WEEKEND ONLY

EXTREMELY affordable and stunning wood bowls AVERAGE PRICE $50!!!

A little playfulness

Handpainted silks

Sinuous Ironwork from Phoenix Metalworks

Beautiful beadwork jewels from Gypsy Moon

Earth, Air, Fire, and Water Devas!!!

Bottle Openers gone way cool

At Stables Gallery Taos Folk Show through December

Whimsical wall hangings

One-of-a-kind jewelry

Sculpted glass heart necklaces

Recycled BEAUTY! Tin ornament

Taos Pueblo Pottery Quail

Top of my Christmas List!!! AWESOME Felted Purse $100

EXQUISITE tile wall hangings $60-$100

Desert Themed Gourd Ornaments $10-20

The coolest pottery birdhouse EVER

Cool Stained Glass Hand

Happy Angel ornament

Always the best of Taos

Desert Blends Face Cream is THE best face cream for the desert! People constantly comment on my great skin and Toni's wildcrafted creation is why!!! Her soaps make excellent stocking stuffers! Visit Desert Blends on Bent Street at the John Dunn Shops!

Spanish-American Architectural Vocabulary

2011-11-15T08:22:00.001-08:00

Banco Permanent adobe bench

Canale(s) Roof Downspout

Fogón Fireplace

Latillas Branches

Nicho Niche

Olla Pot

Pader / pared Wall

Pretil Firewall

Raja CedarRoofing

Rstra/Ristra Hanging Chiles

Tela Cloth

Vigas RoughCut Ceiling Beams

Pattern Languages

2011-11-11T03:18:00.000-08:00

An Architectural Pattern Language is a way to get beyond style, beyond cliché... to the heart of a place.It talks about values. It talks about community. It talks about form. It talks about energy and flow - whether it be pedestrian or vehicle traffic, or actual water... It also talks about spirit and sacredness.

In these posts we'll start to look at the architectural details in Taos where people have chosen to place value. From these, we'll start defining a language. We'll start to see beyond style... we'll start to take where we have been and build a toolbox that we can take to create something new - an architectural system of values that's of this place, this time, and reflects our values... and respects our cultural traditions too.

Here's a link to the patterns...Taos' Architectural Language

This section is in constant evolution. Come back often for updates!

Great places in Taos: the corner of Teresina and Scheurich

2011-10-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

At the northwest corner of Taos' Plaza, a broad alley leads a couple hundred feet north to the corner of Teresina and Scheurich Lane. This corner is one of the most interesting places in Taos. Here's why:
The building on the west, now home to the incomparable Twirl toystore (with its epic playground of all playgrounds) was the former home of Teresina Scheurich, matriarch of both street's names, and daughter of the infamous Governor Bent. At the age of 6, upon her father's death, Teresina moved in to the home of and was raised by Kit Carson and his wife. She later became somewhat of a Taos icon while living in the home, which still boasts the original Taos Plaza's last remaining walls. The second floor and near-eastern details were added in the 1990s, forever changing the face of this old Taos home. However, the architecture, natural light, and extensive detailing completed by Taos' illustrious Tom Worrell weave an incredible tale of inspiration for architects and visitors. (Especially Asian and Indian visitors who seek out its unusual temple-front facade which was forged of elements brought from their own lands to Taos.) Be sure to visit ALL of the toystore, including the bathroom, upstairs and outside. It is truly an incredible and inspiring place!

To the north, is Taos' own Alley Cantina, also with ancient walls nearly 3 feet thick. It has a very special interior courtyard enclosed with an unusual skylit roof. There are only two such structures in Taos (here and at the Taos Inn) and this one is the largest.

Oh My! Bigfoot's alive and well in Taos!

2011-08-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

Bigfoot left his/her mark in the Taos Historic District! His toes are so big that each padprint is big enough to hold a picnic table!

Navigating Tax Credits

2011-08-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

This simple primer is a brief overview of the material discussed in last weeks successful Taos Historic District Tax Credit workshop. These financial incentives apply to those who have property in the Taos Historic District, La Loma Plaza Historic District, Taos Historic Overlay Zone and the Taos Arts and Culture District.

State Credits

The State of NM has a tax credit program that will allow you to reduce your tax burden over 5 years. They will allow you to deduct 50% of the cost of rehabilitation of your building, up to a maximum of $25k in the historic districts and $50k in the Arts and Culture District.

Federal Credits

This COMMERCIAL tax credit program allows business owners to take tax credits of up to 20% of the cost of rehabilitation for your historic structure. This is a complicated and time-consuming, albeit valuable, process that works great when a rehabilitation is planned.There is a $5k minimum investment to be considered for this program and National Park Service approval is required for all alterations.

Rehabilitation Loan Program

This state program provides low-interest loans for historic rehabilitation, with interest rates at about 3%. The entire balance must be paid in 5 years, and the home or business must be maintained as rehabilitated for 7 years after participating in this program. You must already have a relationship with a bank established, as this program acts as a sort of partial-loan guarantee - very appealing for those who might be building their credit.

Eligible Repairs:

Facade repairs
Replace mechanical system
New roof
Plaster
Plumbing
Wiring
Window rehabilitation (repairs + storms = NOT replacement)
Protecting archaeological site(s)

Please consider using these great programs to help you to restore your contributing historic structures! Taos is so beautiful - we can make it more so!

Taos = A Place for SPIRIT!!!

2011-07-14T17:15:00.000-07:00

In Taos, there is no space that does not have space for spirit.
Here's what we mean when we say that...
Even terrible walls have niches for paintings, santos, or offerings...

Trashcans?!

2011-07-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

Yep, Taos even has rad trashcans about. (This is a page just for fun...)

Canales (What?)

2011-07-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

Canales (pronounced can-all-ays) are the old form ofroof drains. They are all over Taos! Some are pretty, some are basic. Here are some of the best of them...

THIS PAGE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
Look for new photos to be added in the next 3 weeks!

Window Shading Devices

2011-07-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the "coolest" (pun intended) ways to shade your windows, Taos style...

THIS PAGE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
Look for new photos to be added in the next 3 weeks!

Windows

2011-07-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

Taos has a vast and eclectic collection of really neat windows.
Here are a few favorites.

THIS PAGE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
Look for new photos to be added in the next 3 weeks!

Foundations and Buttresses

2011-07-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Taos' foundations want to be exposed. Ususally this is when they are constructed of stone. But sometimes when there are other materials too.

Another thing Toas is known for is the visibility of the extra supports for the tall adobe walls. Usually these buyttresses are only present when a wall is taller than 10 feet above grade.

Here are a few examples of these cool architectural phenomenon...

THIS PAGE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
Look for new photos to be added in the next 3 weeks!

Shade and the Inside/Outside Connection

2011-07-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

Taos is known for its portals (pronounced poor-talls), where light and dark intermingle to provide shade and a place that is both, and neither, inside and out. Here are some of our favorites.

Streets of Taos

2011-07-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the streets of Taos have new names?

It’strue! Here are the streets, as they are and once were…

Modern Name / Historic Name(s)

(The alley in front of the Alley Cantina) / Juan Largo Lane (1929) / H Street (1908)

(Alley Grahams is on) / Luna (1929) / B Street (1908)

(Street in front of Reneux) / Caminodel Santa Fe (1929)

Bent Street / Bent Lane (1929) / G Street(1908)

Camino de la Placita / Camino de la Placita (1929) / EStreet (1908)
Civic Plaza Drive / Armory

Des Georges / Des Georges (1929)

Don Fernando / Camino de la Loma (1929) / IStreet (1908)

Dona Luz / Guadalupe (1929)

Dragoon / KitCarson Lane (1929)

Kit Carson / Camino del Canon (1929) / JStreet (1908)

La Posta / Once considered part of Cruz Alta
Ledoux / Camino de Bouvien (1929)

Padre Martinez Lane / Martinez Lane (1929) / F Street(1908)

Paseo del Pueblo Norte / Camino del Pueblo (1929) / AStreet (1908)

Paseo del Pueblo Sur / Santa Fe Road (1950s) / Caminodel Santa Fe (1929)

Quesnel / Camino delMolino (1929)

Ranchitos Road / Camino del Ranchito (1929) / KStreet (1908)

Teresina / Scheurich Lane (1929) / D Street(1908)

Upper Ranchitos / the Placitas’ Cordovas Road

Valverde / Middle Road

Earthships

2011-06-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

Because I want to tell the whole truth about Taos' architecture, I want to share an article I did some time ago about the Pros and Cons of Earthships...

link to article:
The Truth about Earthships

The Enjarre of San Francisco de Asis

2011-06-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

I didn’t decide to work the enjarre—the remudding of the church of San Francisco de Asis in Ranchos—so I could tell the story. I wanted to be a better historic architect. I wanted to give something back to the community that has done so much for me. I wanted to work side by side of the people of the church and find out why they were there—was it obligation? Devotion? Perhaps a mix of both? This year’s Taos Festival of Art and Architecture invited anyone and everyone to help. I was in!

From the first day of the enjarre in early-June, the mud was already being mixed. The cranes were set, their swinging baskets filled with people recoating the high walls from the wheelbarrow full of wet earth. More than 50 people worked to scratch the top layer of decaying stucco from the walls of the atria and remove the gravel road and walkway topping from within three feet of the structures. Years ago, the enjarre was the work of the womenfolk, the enjarradoras, though these days it is the entire community that comes together to do the work of protecting the church from another year’s worth of weather. The work of each day is unique, as one might be tasked to hold the ropes to steady the crane’s basket one day and another day might offer the chance to put a finish coat on the layers of earth that were set in the days prior, by the hands of people who were gone before you ever met them. The process is quiet in some moments and in others, there is a cacophony that swirls around the site like a storm. And so it goes … remove, wet, replace, repeat … for 14 days.

Some of the volunteers come as a form of pilgrimage. Some come out of obligation to their home parish. Some come from the other side of the world because they want to belong to this place. Others come as a form of prayer. Some come in honor of their sisters and brothers who cannot be there, either because they are working, are too ill or have passed on. A boy walks by with a memorial shirt honoring his cousin whom has passed away. He’s tired, and yet happy to be doing this for her. Somehow, now, his handprints and her memory are being sown into this place for all time. It becomes a living memorial that way. Those that have done the work come back to check “their” spot—you hear them say things like, “I need to go fix this on … my buttress” or “my wall.”

One day, my tool went deep into the old stucco, revealing a portion of the adobe that the severely damaged stucco was causing to soak up water. Under the direction of our very capable mayordomo, Gabe Romero, our crew carefully removed the stucco in this area down to the adobe, so we could let the wall structure dry our for a day or so before rebuilding the five inches of stucco on each side, to make this section match the rest of the courtyard wall. As I stood there looking down at the enormous pile of rubble that remained, I realized that what we had removed represented something like 10 years worth of work, completed by probably 30 people. I wondered if their hands were as tired from their toils when they worked on this wall as mine were that day. In my pondering, I looked up and realized that all the canales—the gutters that allow the church roof to drain onto the pavement below—were designed to offer their gift of water into catchments the same shape as the symbols that our indigenous Pueblo people use to designate snowclouds. I realized that the small act of water dropping from the roof into the “clouds” symbolized the cycle of life that the church represents, and that the enjarre represents. In that moment, as my tears dropped into the stucco remnants that we would recycle to coat an entirely different section of the church, I realized that I too had become a part of this place.

Each passing year, the enjarre makes the church more sacred and increasingly alive, because its people are participating in its life. The workers may be life-long parishioners with four generations attending the church every Sunday, or they may be entirely unfamiliar. By the end, the two who started as strangers may well be friends. Whoever they are, for whatever reasons they come, they are united in one cause: the protection of this irreplaceable resource that is a part of them, and they are a part of—for now and always.

(from an original story in the Taos Horsefly)

Taos Sacred Places: Holy Trinity Church in Arroyo Seco

2011-06-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

In the heart of Seco, behind the Firenza and Rottenstone Galleries, lies what was once the plaza of the village of Arroyo Seco, and its charming historic church - La Santisima Trinidad - sited on a slight rise just to the northwest of the old plaza.

The land the church is located on was granted by Joaquin Codallos y Rabal in 1745. Though it was not until some 60 years later that the village of Arroyo Seco would come to be, however in a location much nearer the mountains than where it is today. As legend tells, one day, when some of the original Arroyo Seco families went to work in the fields, they told their children not to leave the area of the towers so that they could take refuge in case of a raid. The children paid little mind to their parent’s words and lost themselves in play. Just then, a pair of shadows fells across their path. They looked up to discover an old man and a young man who told them they lived further down the valley. The children asked the men why they were not afraid of the Indians, and the men noted that a white dove that was perched up in the tree above them warned them when bad people were nearby… and then the men left. That night, when the parents returned, the children told them the story of their interaction with the men. This concerned their parents, and the next day the whole lot of them began following the stream that led down the valley to see if they could find the men and see if they really were safe. Just ahead, one of the children spied the white dove in the treetops. The bird flew out of the tree and lit on a sharp stone. The stone seemed iridescent, as if light were coming from it. The group turned over the stone to locate the source of the light, and beneath it discovered a carved bulto of… an old man and a young man with a white dove above them. The family decided that this was the place they would build their church, and dedicated the place to the Holy Trinity… the father, the son, and the holy spirit… whom it seemed they had just met! This is where La Santisima Trinidad - The Church of the Most Holy Trinity - sits now.
The construction of The Church of the Most Holy Trinity was completed in 1834 by the famous La Fraternidad de Los Hermanos Penitentes de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and their families and community members, who had settled the old village of Arroyo Seco just 10 years prior. Eventually the village would be relocated to the area just south of the church, after the lands that had once supported the agricultural community were confiscated as payment for back taxes and turned over to Taos Pueblo.

The 2,900 square foot church is of a distinct New Mexican design type, with a single nave, or sanctuary, a square apse at the far end, a choir loft over the front entrance, and a square sacristy to the east of the sanctuary. At one time it is said that there was a mirror image room of the sacristy on the west side, though the room was removed over a hundred years ago. It is said that the missing room was to have been for the exclusive use of the penitents, the main builders of the structure. The church is surrounded by a Campo Santo on all but the north side, where a dirt road separates it from a residence.

The massive adobe walls of the church are 5 feet thick at their base and 3 feet thick at the top. The first floor of the church was earthen, though several wood floors were added later. The ceiling, and original roof, is constructed of a rough-sawn flat wood boards that are supported by pine vigas resting on hand-hewn wooden corbels, each of which was carved by a different parishioner. Sometime around 1910, a pitched roof was added, along with a cupola, and the wood floor we see today was installed. Double wooden doors at the church entrance face south and are elevated - presumably to accommodate the raising of the floors over the years - on a set of half-moon shaped flagstone steps. Two large windows on the East side of the nave were added later - likely in the late 19th century after Indian raids were quelled and large spans of window glass was available from the railroads. The high windows capture the morning light as it crests the mountains to the East, with another smaller window just below the cupola in the choir above the entrance providing light to the choir. The interior walls are tierra blanca, a natural pigment paint with mica flakes that make the walls glisten in certain lighting.

Many historians have designated the architectural characteristics of the church as “Mission” style. However, Mission style is not an architectural style recognized in New Mexico. A true Mission church would be located on a Pueblo and have been built in the earliest days of settlement, during the 17th century. Though there is no official Mission style, there is a Mission Revival style, which emulates our most ancient church forms. Interestingly, the area around Taos had its own style of architecture called the Northern New Mexico style, which is distinct from its neighboring architectural styles through the use of a pitched roof and simple details over doors and windows. Since this church was built during the 19th century - well after settlement - but using both the old style and eventually a pitched roof too, the structure could accurately be designated as Northern New Mexico + Mission Revival style!

The charming church was lovingly restored in the 1990s. It was at this time that the many old floors inside were removed and the parishioners buried within moved to the Campo Santo outside in the fenced courtyard on the south side of the structure. The existing sacristy, which was falling down, was razed and replaced by another of the same dimensions, only with a kiva fireplace for additional heating and conical rather than rectangular buttressing on the exterior. The exterior walls were completely reworked - traditional mud stucco replaced cement-based stucco which was undermining the adobe structure as it had (nearly catastrophically) at San Franscisco de Asis at Ranchos. When the heart of the nave’s adobe walls was exposed after the cement stucco was removed, many distinct styles of adobe bricks were discovered - implying that the original construction was created by the people and of the earth - with parishioners contributing a quota of home-made earthen bricks for the construction. Also during the restorations during the 1990’s, two hand-carved Solomonic pillars replaced two dry-rotted (and culturally inappropriate) square ionic supports at the arch dividing line between sanctuary and apse. The original bell, which had been moved to the new church building adjacent during the 1960’s was also returned.

During the same period of renovations, the reredos, or altar screen, was examined by art historians prior to its full restoration. The study included tests designed to see through, or behind, the current work to see what was beneath, without damaging the existing painting. This revealed that the Trinity-themed screen we see today is in fact a replacement of a previous painting that appeared to be the work of the unnamed Arroyo Hondo Santero, known regionally for a distinctive dot-dash style of lunettes and borders, and who has been compared to the famed santero José Aragón. According to Seco Morada historian Larry Torres. the overpainting was completed in 1861 by the famed santero, José de Gracia Gonzales, who may have used his own wife as a model for several of the faces on the painting. The restored overpainting by de Gracia is considered one of New Mexico’s artistic treasures.

The stone upon which the white dove landed in the church’s own genesis story sits just to the right of the altar.

The church is owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, and is open for services as well as upon request from the community. Until 1949. the church and its moradas were associated with the Parish of Taos. At that time, the communities of the outlying towns and villages had different needs than those of Taos and thus a new Parish was formed, called Holy Trinity Parish, and a rectory was set up for the parish priest in Seco. La Santisima Trinidad thus became the parish seat of the churches, missions, and moradas of Nuestra Señora de Dolores in Arroyo Hondo; San Antonio de Padua in Valdez; Santo Niño de Atocha in Las Colonias; and the chapel at San Cristobal.

(from our original article in the Taos Horsefly)

Roof Shapes

2011-06-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

There are two predominant roof shapes in Taos. Flat - from the historic pueblo and Spanish settlerment, and peaked - which evolved in the Territorial period when shingle and metal roofs became available.
The flat roofs are actually not flat, but pitch at a minimum of 1/8" per foot (interestingly the same minimum pitch for a green roof installation). Peaked roofs are of "mid-pitch," usually with slopes between 1":12" to 1":1.5" rise to run.

The old Apppletree Restaurant building on Bent St. is an example of the Northern New Mexico style, with pitched roof.

The peaked roof was much more common after the late-19th century in and around Taos, (presumably to combat our larger snowfalls) that an entirely new style of architecture was born - a modern version of Territorial revival with simplified details on adobe or faux-adobe, which is now called the Northern New Mexico style.

Rhythm and Symmetry

2011-06-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Taos Historic District possess a certain rhythm as it is a commercial space of aligned and similar buildings, but that rhythm can be broken up by buildings that are entirely different too, as it is on the south side of the main plaza where the La Fonda and the Taos Theater building burst into the sky in a rhythm of non-perfectly-symmetrical massing.
La Loma Plaza is nearly unrecognizable in its proportions and rhythm because of all the additions and new constructions that were allowed into the central open courtyard over time. (Let's hope that doesn't happen elsewhere.)
Symmetry appears to be most important on public buildings and the older churches in Taos. Even on the main plaza, buildings may have doors centered or open on a side, and windows are placed where they are most needed, though most commonly in a symmetrical way. Portal colonnades are usually symmetrical.

Scale and Proportion

2011-06-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Taos' historic district, like much of New Mexico, has two MAJOR components that determine much of how its buildings appear. First, it is based on an architectural form that is exteremely limited and specific in design - adobe. Historically, adobe walls which extended more that 10' vertically MUST be at least two wythes of adobe thick. In even taller structures, like the San Francisco church at Ranchos, the walls are at least 3 wythes (24 inches or more) thick and have massive buttressing at the corners to accept the load of the roof as it pushes out on the walls. Also, the church is always the tallest structure in old New Mexican towns.

The second determinant of the size of buildings on the historic district is the length of available vigas at the time of construction and the ability to transport them. In my own home off Padre Martinez, the length of vigas they could get into town in 1810 was 15', and that's how deep all our rooms are (15' minus the wall widths). The vigas are exposed to the rooms, and sometimes to the porches and exterior walls.

Lessons Learned: To design in keeping with this understanding of scale means that buildings in the historic district should not be taller than churches - so no more than 3 stories tall, should be constructed of adobe*, and should be built in keeping with the capacity of their roof structure, which should be exposed. The width of the building should not be vastly different than its neighbors.

It is our opinion that non-adobe structures that look like real adobe structures are sad. They use more materials than they should, offer no real historic value, require extensive mechanical systems to operate comfortably, and disrespect the traditions of wall depth and positive/negative space balance of our historic buildings. We should never glue on parts of buildings that were once purposeful to make something modern appear more historic. This is a waste of resources and trivializes the value of our remaining historic buildings.

Orientation

2011-06-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

Buildings built in Taos prior to the 20th century were oriented to solar or stellar objects (i.e. churches as well as the pueblo).

Many buildings in Spanish times were built the depth of locally-available vigas, and started out as linear structures - lineas - designed to be added to. Later additions made the structures C, L, H, or - the ultimate - O shaped.

Many of the earliest buildings in Taos were built along the mesatop that the town actually sits on. If you want to imagine Taos as it was a hundred years ago, visit the southern side of the parking structure to the south of Alhambra furnishings on Paseo Sur and look down onto what would have been agricultural fields, fed by a spring just below (near where the dry cleaners is now). Taos was a place who primary motivation was security, and building the town at this high location would have afforded not only that, but great views and access to more plentiful clean air.

Buildings on the periphery of town were oriented to the paths which led to market, as well as the fields during this period.

Buildings built in Taos during the 20th century are almost exclusively oriented to the street upon which they front. After 1960's, buildings started turning away from the street. As more research became available about passive solar design, many realized that a southeast orientation was warmest in winter and coolest in summer, and therefore quite a few buildings built during and after played with solar orientations.

Lessons learned: For design in the historic district, plans should orient as their neighbors do, but maximize the use of natural passive solar devices to minimize energy consumption and maximize occupant comfort. New buildings outside the historic district should be oriented on passive-solar advantage.

Townscape

2011-06-27T07:54:00.000-07:00


Plaza North

It is easy to see which parts of Taos are the oldest "town" structures. The first commercial buildings, or those that replaced them to be more accurate since the town burned many times during the early 20th century, are built with a zero-lot line on the front, or built - including portals and walkways - all the way up to the "front" property line on the street. The best place to see this is the main Plaza, where the portals are connected and each building falls into line behind them like a row of soldiers.

Off the main Plaza, the setbacks start to differentiate, and building facades may be placed up to 5' off the property line or sidewalk. Many of the shopping district's structures borrow from the old tradition of haciendas and have an open courtyard - a plazuela - around which the rest of the building's shallow structures ring and into which they open. This indicates a special form of environmental awareness - one that pre-dates everything you see in Taos these days save the Martinez Hacienda and a few other structures. These open courtyards planted with trees and flowers provide a place of beauty, a place to gather, a place of shade, better oxygen, and a place for the well to reside that is central to all users. They also act as a form of air conditioning, as the humid cool shaded center allows cooler air to move through the portals and thusly, the buildings which open onto them. You can see these at Brazos and Ruffin on Bent Street across from the John Dunn Shops, at Taos Blue on Bent Street, at the Wenglert Patio and Kit Carson Home on Kit Carson, at Starr Interiors just south of the Taos Inn, at the cute compound of casitas in Casa Baca Plaza at the corner of Paseo and Queznel, at LaLana Wools/Steven Kilborn as well as Plaza Flores on Paseo Norte just north of Grahams Grille, and some smaller plazuelas at la Loma Plaza and along Ledoux.


Kilborn Plazuela

The Wenglert Patio on Kit Carson

The Taos Inn's interior is one such place that's been transformed from a plazuela into an inside space. That's part of what makes the bar so magnificent.

Inside the Adobe Bar at the Taos Inn, this "lighthouse" structure covers the old well, now converted to a fountain.

Beyond the main shopping streets, buildings can be anywhere between 10' off the front property line to 50' off the property line. Most often, if there is a setback at all there is also a fence along the property line. Many times the fence is the same material as the house and features a vehicular and a pedestrian gate.

Lessons learned: To design a new infill for any of these areas of town, it is recommended that new construction be placed somewhere between the furthest building setback and the closest of the 2 neighboring buildings adjacent to either side and the 3 closest buildings across the street.

Fabulous Murals in the Old County Courthouse

2011-06-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

These are the famous murals in Taos' old County Courthouse on the Plaza.Thecourtrooms’ Works Progress Administration murals were installed by some ofTaos’ most famous artists in the Depression era as a result of FDR’s New Dealprograms. Their figures speak of the days just after New Mexico became a U.S.state—hard days when nationalism was frightening, but also necessary. These arecritical moments in the history of what we have become. And they are worthprotecting so we can continue to tell the story.

The Courthouse, from the Outside...

The spaces in the upperstory are convenient, large, airy and bright. Everyone should take a few minutes to go enjoy this amazing space.

Posts and Columns

2011-06-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

So by far the most common form of post or column in Taos is round. Round posts are found on every building on the plaza and most of the buildings in the commercial district. Here are just a few examples.

That's followed by variations of solomonite and hand-carved...

Then square...

Flowing Soft Edges

2011-06-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

It is difficult to say what may be the single most important feature of Taos' non-style-based architectural language. If there is one detail that comes out above the rest, it may well be soft flowing edges.
The desert has a way of reducing a line from something prefect to something sinuous. Our friend the line will ALWAYS succumb to the hot western winds of summer and the cold northern winds of winter, and the scorching sun... to be transformed. Early designers here knew that, and in fact, embraced it, creating an architecture that has goes with the flow. Here are some of our favorite examples.

First, from the Pueblo...

Then, From Ranchos Church

Then, from the Historic District...

And sending a little shout-out to our friends at the Taos Opera Institute and the exquisite Dome Home on the Mesa.

Finally, from the old Harwood, juxtaposed to the hard edges of its new addition.

Texture

2011-06-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

"Well building hath three conditions: firmness, commodity, and delight." - from Sir Henry Wotton's version of the Ten Books of Architecture. This means... quality of construction, usefulness, and well, delight... which primarily refers to beauty. In Taos, there would be a long list of attributes which are required for something to be beautiful. One of those things would be TEXTURE. Even decrepit old buildings that are literally falling down are beautiful here.

Security

2011-06-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if its possible to find more numerous or beautiful details in the American Southwest which deal directly with security. In keeping with an attention to the love of details rich in color and texture common here, here are some of the security features you'll find in Taos...

Massing

2011-06-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

Massing is the relationship of parts to the whole. It is how architects manipulate the size and manner of forms to create a sense of something "more." In Taos, massing has been a critical component to architectural design for more than 300 years.

Light

2011-06-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

Light turns us on and off. Its shadow can bring cool, or fear. Its brightness can bring warmth, or...fear.
In Taos, during the winter, the light is an asset and an ally. In the summer, she can be our enemy.

Gates

2011-06-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

The gate is the outermost doorway which separates public from private - outer world from inner world... These are invitations to some of Taos' inner sancta.

Doors

2011-06-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Taos is full of some of the most elaborate hand-carved doors and windows in the southwest. We walk through and by them too fast to notice most times. Here are some for your viewing pleasure...

Beauty and Color

2011-06-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

Taos' Historic District has some of the most beautiful details you can find, if you just take the time to look. Some are simple, and some elaborate. Some can be read in black and white, and others need full color to really "get" their true essence. Here are some of our favorite details from around town.

Capitals

2011-06-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

Taos' Historic District is home to an incredible collection of wooden post capitols. The detail required for such work requires a high degree of hand-finishing, even in the "cheap" modern versions. These are some of the best...

The double ended version is called a Zapata.

The single ended version is called a Corbel.

These are the two versions used on the plaza...
The El Prado, or "Ball" style capitol is used on the front facades.

A French-curve style capitol is used on the back facades.

Now here are the best of the rest...

Fences

2011-06-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

Fences in Taos's Historic District can be described with one word: TEXTURE

Whether they are wood, abobe, plastered, or stone... or a combination thereof... they are rich in color and texture. And some, well... you aren't quite sure whether they are keeping you out... or inviting you in.

Deco-style

2011-04-19T16:19:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Taos has a tiny remnant of deco-style architecture in it's plaza?

Those of you who remember the downtown soda fountain's glory days may recognize this very rare and cool facade entrance at Taos Trading!

The silver "Nook"

2011-04-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most lovely little details on the entire plaza.
Do you know where to find it?

103 North Plaza - Silver Touch

2011-04-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

The original building at this location dated from 1880-1890 and belonged to William Hinde, the town blacksmith. His blacksmith shop was housed in this location until sometime between 1925-1930. In 1898, Ernest Blumenshein brought his wheel to Hinde's shop to be fixed; thus this place is extra special - it was the beginning of the Taos Art Colony! This is a replacement building, built sometime before 1939, but its place in Taos remains a reference to the beginning of third period (Anglo) settlement...

Taos Historic Architecture Tours - Four Corners Geotourism

2011-01-11T09:08:00.000-08:00

Click on the photo above to see our Taos Historic Architecture Tours at National Geographic's Four Corners Geotourism Project

Link to my Southwest Vernacular Zone & Arid Climatic Zone Design Guides

2011-01-01T11:11:00.000-08:00

Click Here to see how my firm is using the techniques of the Southwest Architecture of the past to inform the design of land and architecture throughout the Southwest today.

Click Here to see how we are using data collected on the Arid Climate Zone to further determine how we will design that landscape or structure.

Spanish Pueblo-Revival Style Architecture Traits

2010-09-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

Museum of Indian Arts - Santa Fe

Spanish Pueblo-Revival style architecture is characterized by:

A return to adobe construction, often with battered walls
An undulating stepped, parapeted roof line
Low-pitched or “flat” roof supported by exposed vigas or faux vigas
Carved wooden details on doors, window grills, & corbels
Courtyards and colonaded porches
Corner fireplaces
Rounded corners
Earth-colored plaster stucco on exterior
Stepped facades on multistory buildings

NM Queen Anne Style Architecture Traits

2010-09-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

Miramon House - Taos

Padre Martinez House (addition) - Taos

Queen Anne style architecture in New Mexico is characterized by:

An asymmetrical plan
An irregular, steep roof, constructed of terra cotta or pressed metal, rarely with an iron roof crest
Scalloped and shaped shingles
Corner towers; dormers; bays and turrets
Turned spindles and highly detailed balusters, posts, brackets, corbels, and rails
"Renovations” and “Restorations” of existing buildings added pitched roofs, fine wooden detailing, and copings.

Northern New Mexico Style Architecure Traits

2010-09-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

All photos from the Hulse/Warman Gallery - Taos

The Northern New Mexico style is distinguished by:

Adobe construction in one story
U-shape or L-shape building footprint
Flat, hipped, or gable pitched metal roof
Earth-toned mud or cement stucco plaster, and
Little or no ornamentation

details of front porch - note the simplicity of detail

interior of former living area

Note the real earth plaster here - this is a labor of love!

Territorial Style Architecture Traits

2010-09-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Taos Territorial - note many Territorial houses use white details in lieu of turquoise

Territorial style architecture is characterized by:

Constructed of thick courses of sun-dried adobe bricks, and/or sometimes framed in one or two stories
A central hall plan with rooms placed somewhat symmetrically across the hall from one another.
Sidelights and transom windows around the front entrance door
Small, unassuming wooden pediments placed over exterior doors and windows.
Whitewashed interior walls, with gingham or similar fabric wainscot, OR brightly painted upper walls with a neutral base at the wainscot
White painting of wooden cornices, corbels, brackets, and trim on exterior
Brick copings and/or firewalls
Centrally-located on an end wall, brick-constructed fireplaces with wooden mantels and mirrors above in most cases
Square porch columns
Planed wooden floors
Larger doors and windows than previous styles, and many of them faced the street.
Double-hung windows
Wood trim in beautiful details
Paints not of earth tone or fabrication

Spanish Colonial Architecture Traits

2010-09-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

One of the oldest intact (not "updated") houses in Taos

Spanish Colonial architecture is characterized by:

Constructed of thick courses of sun-dried adobe bricks – a technique the Spanish learned from the Moors
Constructed as one-story structures, with rooms linked together linearly and opening either into one another along one side or through a portal, or covered porch
Parapet walls
Having a low-pitched or flat earthen roof supported by vigas and latillas, then eventually planks, sometimes painted or covered over with a bleached muslin. Better (metal not stone) tools = refined cutting of vigas, and these were sometimes rectangular.
Walls covered with mud plaster or cement stucco
Detailed crafting of corbels, doors, and beams
Rough hewn timbers and posts
Multiple external doorways and few small window openings to dissuade Indian attack
Introduction of actual solid-slab wood Doors and wooden hinges
Windows of selenite, mica, or oiled hides instead of just openings, covered with wooden shutters in some cases. Wooden grilles over openings mimic Spanish metal grilles
Beehive-shaped raised corner fireplaces and chimneys constructed of adobe
Iron hinges and fixtures
Whitewashed interior walls, with gingham or similar fabric wainscot
Earthen floors, pounded with adobe mortar, then eventually planed wood, many covered with a native-made jerga, a black and white geometric cloth carpet.
Slightly larger spaces, as metal tools were introduced, making metal and wood detailing more easily attainable. The Spanish also preferred one large multifunction space to the many smaller single-use spaces that the Native Americans preferred.South-facing hillsides preferred for building locations, to protect buildings from the North and West winds and snow, and to maximize solar gain in winter.
Extremely large facilities began to be built in L and U shapes, with a final goal of being squared around an enclosed courtyard as in the haciendas. This design was partly for protection but also served to maximize heat and cooling capacities.
Metals – iron and tin - came into fashion after the resettlement, as did some glass and cloth.
Bird and floral designs on altar cloths and now walls and glass derived from Oriental, Persian, and Moorish motifs

Old Sp-Colonial style walls in Taos

Note the addition of wall extensions above the original Sp-Colonial walls at the Kit Carson Home in Taos

Puebloan Architecture Traits

2010-09-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

Pueblo Style architecture is characterized by materials that reflect their place.

Structures are often constructed of puddled adobe (poured like concrete); sun-dried adobe; or stacked stone.
Structures are usually two or more stories and stepped back on upper levels.
Small-ish spaces, based on the lengths of locally-available vigas, about 15 feet wide.
Softly rounded corners and some arches
Earth-colored walls covered in mud stucco, if the building is not stone, and sometimes when the structure was stone. The mud plaster was repaired and or replaced annually in an enjarre.
Interiors were yeso - painted white with natural gypsums, with rodestrado - darker earth-tone contrast color paint or manta fabric at wainscot commonly used in later times. If the former decorative technique is used outside, it used bright vegetable-based dyes.
Roofs and the floors between levels were supported by flat-laid random length peeled log vigas supporting aspen latillas, willow twigs, split cedar or pine, then grasses or straw, and finally adobe mud, dirt, or sod/turf.
Many rooms had a corner firepit with a skylight above it. Stack-effect heating and cooling provided by fireplaces in the floors and connected on several levels.
Roof vents and high windows for ventilation. Rooms were sometimes exhausted via chimney pots, a later addition.
Door and window openings were often low and small with rough-hewn wood lintels, and rarely located on ground level. Rather, the house was accessed by climbing a ladder to the upper floor(s), then descending down another ladder. The crude branch ladders were constructed with rawhide thongs or notched treetrunks.
Doors were closed with hide or coarse cloth, and windows covered with selenite/mica or oiled hide.
Dirt floors

Spanish-American Architectural Vocabulary

2010-09-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

This is a starting place for some of the most commonly used New Mexican Architectural Terms.
More will be added over time.

Banco Permanent adobe bench

Canale(s) Roof Downspout

Fogón Fireplace

Latillas Branches

Nicho Niche

Olla Pot

Pader / pared Wall

Pretil Firewall

Raja Cedar Roofing

Rstra/Ristra Hanging Chiles

Tela Cloth

Vigas Rough Cut Ceiling Beams

Taos Pueblo Restoration

2010-09-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Settled at the foothills ofthe largest peaks in New Mexico, the legendary Taos Pueblo is a massive complexinhabited by over 1,000 tribal members who live in structures dating from manyhundreds of years ago to the present. Not all members live in the stackedPueblo - many live away from the main structures on the tribal lands. Thisexpansion beyond the traditional boundaries of inhabited space has made therestoration of the ancient structures particularly important, as buildingsrespond to lack of use by decomposing back to the earth from which they came.

Pueblo leaders decided to try something different. Instead of sending the energy outwards – distributing money and training opportunities off the reservation - the Pueblo government came up with a comprehensive preservation strategy that was forward-reaching and would also respond to the immediate needs of the Taos Pueblo people. With their plan, they could not only save the historic structures, but also create jobs, institute permanent tribal preservation standards, build a sustainable long-term program to train tribal members in historic preservation, as well as educate the public about the preservation of their evolving culture.

A restoration plan wasdeveloped and funding sought and attained through the American Recovery andReinvestment Act. At their groundbreakingceremony in April 2010, Taos Pueblo’s Tribal Preservation Program moved fromvision to reality, as the first phase of a multi-year preservation projectbegan to take shape, with the construction of a preservation trades trainingfacility at the Pueblo’s Red Willow Center and the selection of an on-site demonstrationfacility just next to the Church of San Jerome. With these spaces as home base,a group of 8 tribal members will be the first to apprentice in the restoration ofthe youngest 500 year old sections of the Pueblo, training in techniques tosave the buildings from deterioration… which they can pass on to futuregenerations.

With demonstration facilitiesjust off the main path of visitor access, the public can witness the process ofrestoration unfold and enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to learn about tribalculture as well as preservation techniques.

Old photos of Taos Pueblo illustrate the ways that the Pueblo has been modified to respond to its environment over time. Luckily, thanks to a powerful infusion of determination and diligence, this living monument to the history and culture of the Taos Pueblo people is going to be around for many more generations.

Taos Pueblo has beenrecognized by UNESCO as one of America’s 20 World Heritage Sites and is also aHistoric Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. Taos Pueblo isopen Monday - Saturday 8:00am-4:00pmand Sunday 8:30am-4:00pm, except during ceremonial periods. Contact the TaosPueblo Tourism Department at tourism@taospueblo.com or 575-758-1028 to confirm that the Pueblo will be open when you wantto visit.

NM Gardens and Landscapes

2010-09-21T16:28:00.001-07:00

Landscapes in the early days and up til the 1930s were nearly exclusively of harvested local plants. In the May, 1939 issue of New Mexico Magazine, Elizabeth Emerson writes that the first rule of planting was to make transplants “feel at home,” noting that “A cactus that has basked in the sun all its life isn’t going to be happy on the north side of the house under the drip from an eave.” Trees were transplanted in the fall, with a trench dug out around the tree to cut the horizontal roots, and then in spring the tree actually moved once new horizontal roots are forming.

Taos' Labyrinths

2010-06-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

The powerful and transformative experience of labyrinths are now available at seven locations here in Taos, and at hundreds of places in New Mexico.

Pam and Charles Montgomery have created both formal and informal labyrinths at the San Geronimo Lodge on Witt Road off Kit Carson, east of town. Entrances to both the formal labyrinth and the informal one—which they call a “Prayer Path”—are just inside the San Geronimo gates on the right. Parking is shortly beyond the entrance to the paths. The formal labyrinth is beautiful, with gravel paths and riverrock stone walls that were lovingly placed by members of the family at this summer’s family reunion. The prayer path winds around the property in no formal organization and has 14 stations for rest and inspiration, each with a theme. The last 15 yards or so are lined with prayer rocks marked with the families’ prayers for both the living and the dead. Walking the Prayer Path is a creative and extraordinary experience that unfolds differently for each person.

Katherine and Louis Costabel at the Adobe and Pines Inn built their labyrinth on the North side of the main house at the inn this summer. Pecan hull paths circle through stacked mortared stone walls, to a center with a pond and waterfall. This labyrinth is probably the largest in town. The Adobe and Pines is at the southern end of Paseo del Pubelo Sur, on the east side of the road past Ranchos. Parking is by the bed and breakfast entrance. Walk back up the long driveway about 200 feet to the north to discover and experience this beautiful showcase labyrinth.

Another new addition to the Taos labyrinth scene is at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, which is east on Kit Carson and north on Morada. The home itself is incredible, and Taoseños and visitors alike should be sure to experience the magic history and essence of this place. The property is a private retreat center, so please be sure to ask permission to visit at the main guesthouse office. This labyrinth is lovely, with gravel walks and riverrock walls. Views of Taos Mountain peek between two trees that frame the view from the entrance.

Taos artist Bren Price built the oldest labyrinth in Taos in 1999 at the Touchstone Inn on Paseo del Pueblo Norte. The labyrinth was blessed by a Native American shaman at the moment of the transition of the millennium and carries with it a ancient magic. This exquisite labyrinth, with it’s earthen paths and riverrock walls, has some of the most incredible views of Taos Mountain and is shaded by beautiful, established trees. In Spring, irises and flowers overflow the labyrinth walls into the paths. It is the most green and alive labyrinth I have ever experienced. Call the Touchstone Inn for permission to visit.

The First Presbyterian Church of Taos has added a labyrinth, as has the Casa de Retiro. More details to follow.

The Greater World Earthship Community is the home of a Cretan style labyrinth. The labyrinth paths are earth and the walls are stone. The labyrinth, being within the private community, can only be accessed with permission and in the presence of the owner, Michael, whose email is mjb403@yahoo.com.

Hopefully, this information will invite you to wonder and reach out to experience one of these incredible sacred places, right here in Taos— to find a piece of you that you might have forgotten was there. After all, that’s what sacred space is all about.

Labyrinths are open all year, weather permitting. Call ahead if you’d like to get permission and verify they are accessible.