In some ways, advanced residential design in New Mexico in 2005
revisits and reinterprets the spirit of an earlier age, the 1930s.
These eight award-winners express themes of a sophisticated regional
modernism inspired by global icons. The exceptional residences recognized
here suggest an emerging design sensibility in New Mexico. They
focus on “classic” interpretations of the modernist aesthetic
articulated early in the 20th century by Le Corbusier, Philip Johnson,
and later, Luis Barragán and Louis Kahn. Pure and refined
geometry, precise fenestration of windows and doors, juxtaposition
of “modern” materials, and a subdued color palette are
all hallmarks of classic modernism (the International Style) evident
in these compositions.
Clearly missing from these outstanding homes is the romanticized,
historical approach so long favored in New Mexico. The tradition
of corbels and kiva fireplaces that reigned for most of the 20th
century in various guises and revivals is mostly subdued in these
designs. What remains is the earthen stucco. Pueblo Spanish Revival
style continues to be popular, of course, but the architectural
design vanguard is headed elsewhere.
Perhaps the remarkable career and figure of architect John Gaw Meem
offers some insight to the contemporary passion for classic modernism
in New Mexico. Meem, through his work, speeches, and writings, attempted
to reconcile his passionate zeal for historic New Mexican building
forms with the predominant International Modernist style of the
1930s, 1940s, and 1950s—his most fruitful years.
Meem’s dramatic success and influence, initially manifested
in his great addition to Santa Fe’s La Fonda Hotel in 1927,
coincided with the rise of the International Style (Le Corbusier’s
monumental Villa Savoye was designed and built between 1928 and
1931). Later in the 1930s, Meem successfully employed the Pueblo
Spanish architectural vocabulary in larger scale commissions at
the University of New Mexico, effectively deflating the influence
of modernism during the key years before World War II.
Meem’s shadow has been a long one. Not until the late 1960s,
with the breakthrough success of Antoine Predock’s design for
La Luz condominiums in Albuquerque, did a true regional modernism
begin to awaken in New Mexico. The feverish, experimental vigor
of the International Style in the 1930s was essentially lost in
New Mexico, but perhaps we are now witnessing its inspiration and
resurgence in a new generation of designers.
The award-winning designs published here suggest that a fresh interpretation
of Southwestern regional modernism is unfolding. These refined forms
still acknowledge the powerful New Mexican forces of juniper landscape,
improvised village, and urban viewshed. What’s new are a precision
of execution and craftsmanship and the elegance of primal form,
perhaps reflective of the “digital” modernism of the iPod
aesthetic.
Honor Award for General Residential Design
Overlook #55
Strell Design
Kira Sowanick, architect
A deconstructed cube of stucco and glass designed by Kira Sowanick
signals a direction both novo and retro in New Mexican residential
design. The cubical massing and precise fenestration recall the
classic modernism of the 20th century championed by Le Corbusier
and Philip Johnson. The stucco exteriors and neutral palette are
firmly within the Southwestern regional tradition. The marriage
of refined style and technical execution suggests an urbane and
cosmopolitan sensibility of inspired maturity in New Mexico. The
repeated motif of corner window placements prevents the house block
from appearing too static, and the wall planes benefit from the
illusion of subtle rotation. Inside, the Overlook house abandons
its regional references in favor of technical and material precision.
The proportional relationships established on the exterior elevations
are integrated within the interior architecture, producing satisfying
and sublime harmonies.
Honor Award for General Residential Design
Nenninger House
Jorge de la Torre, architect
The planar sophistication of the Nenninger house is startling from
initial views. An articulated cubist front façade is beveled
and mannered with a complex variety of window openings ranging from
horizontal and vertical slits to generous picture windows from the
second floor master suite. An inset balcony atop the garage provides
dramatic spatial and lighting effects. The house’s volumes
and façades revolve around a central staircase axis, powerfully
broken by an inspired double-height living room. The slashing exterior
walls of the rear elevation provide dynamic leverage to the unadorned
pilotis columns of the patio. The design attitude evokes Le Corbusier
and the effect is a marvelous sculpture in the high desert.
Honor Award for Modern Interpretation of Traditional Architecture
Morin House
Beverley Spears Architects, architect
The Morin House, designed by Beverley Spears Architects, is a fascinating
paradox: it expresses both antiquity and modernism within the context
of the traditional New Mexican village of Galisteo. The modest compound
of four small structures, incorporating residence, studios, and
storage, is entirely faithful to the New Mexican residential compound
heritage with subtle references to external influences. The egg-like
finish and purity of the living room evoke Barragán in the
“floating” presence of the picture window, while the nearby
fireplace seems European in its tapered chimney. The Morin House
compound is a poetic ensemble of square, rectangle, and pyramid
resting effortlessly on the landscape of Galisteo. The compound
seems ageless and vernacular, yet its monumentality is the product
of Spears’ deep appreciation of site, tradition, and landscape.
