Good House of the Week: Bernalillo County, New Mexico
Added 2017-10-04 15:25:20 +0000 UTCHello Friends! Today's Good House of the Week is a little unusual. In many Southwestern states, it is popular to imitate the vernacular architecture of the area, in this case, the Adobe or Pueblo style, which imitates the vernacular architecture of Native Americans in the area, specifically the Puebloan people. The revival of Pueblo architecture began in the late 19th and 20th centuries, where it coincided with the Mission and Spanish Colonial Revival styles.
Adobe style houses remain relatively popular because of their integration with the landscape and environmentally friendly construction techniques, if built with traditional materials. Adobe is a type of masonry where mud clay is dried and cured by the heat of the sun. It is a popular material in many arid climates around the world for its heat resistance.
Like most building styles, there are horrible fake stucco-clad "adobe" styled McMansions, as the style is still massively popular in New Mexico. This house stood out to me because of its respectful adherence to the style - it is not ostentatious, the massing is logical for the terrain, and the materials are, if not Adobe, then high quality stucco. The landscape architecture is also lovely, embracing the arid climate rather than fighting against it. The best part of the house in my opinion, is the interior, in which the high quality of the construction is brought indoors and accentuated by tasteful decor devoid of the common curse of cartoonish cultural appropriation - a fine line walked by houses imitating indigenous vernacular styles.
Link to listing: https://www.redfin.com/NM/Albuquerque/40-Tierra-Monte-Dr-87122/home/92116547
Comments
What's really interesting is that quintescential american installarions - AC and all TVs - seem inserted as an afterthought, not part of the original concept of both exterior and interior design. Kind of a pity with the AC, since Adobe naturally does some climate regulation. Then again, this is New Mexico. Also, I love the little chicken coop and how the entire complex merges into the landscape, as opposed by the other, much more in-your-face neighboring buildings. Just, the integration of AC could have been handled more delicately. Decor is lovely, as is the exterior, but it does seem like an out of this time design that has been more or less forcefully been assimilated into our present, borg style. #But maybe that was done on purpose?
Tara Summers
2017-11-01 19:17:34 +0000 UTC
