The Pueblo World: Settings, Continuity, and Change in the Indigenous Cultures of the Southwest

This studio involved the identification of a cultural district, incorporating aspects of old Santo Domingo Pueblo and its historic transportation hub. It also included the design of a new development with housing for 300-400 families (phased in), and regional services. To inform our studies, the studio investigated settlement principles in the American Southwest. Students looked at how materials and processes with different characteristics and origins can be combined to successfully mediate a harsh environment and cultural preservation. The purpose of the studio was not to replicate or simulate traditional practice, but to use precedent study and site visits to understand how the integration of materials, forms, and technology into the building might inform contemporary practice.