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Campus on the Move CNM Westside, Albuquerque NM
Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) responded to heavy population growth on Albuquerque's West Mesa by constructing a new facility for residents to further their educations. As the first building on the campus, it was to set the tone for future buildings. Quercus designed a series of outdoor spaces to embrace the desert environment and allow for future pedestrian connections, requiring less maintenance and irrigation in spite of attractiveness. Materials that withstand intense sunshine, wind, and temperature extremes were set as the landscape architectural vocabulary, which is rare locally. Unusual hardscape treatments were added, including colorful walls, large pots with high desert agaves, and interesting concrete paving patterns. |
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A New Culinary Adventure in the North Valley Terra American Bistro, Albuquerque NM
Terra American Bistro wanted to bring fresh, hearty, and innovative cuisine to an area of Albuquerque where it was formerly unavailable: the northwest mesa and valley. They consulted with Quercus to design an inviting foreground on a tight budget that would compliment and reinforce their adventuresome remodel of a former fast food restaurant. The bold forms of Giant Hesperaloe were used behind a mass of the fragrant Trailing Rosemary, which also serves the bistro as a culinary herb. Escarpment Live Oak, Honey Mesquite, Desert Prickly Pear, and Sandpaper Verbena provide the final touches of high desert character.
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A Classic Drive Route 66 Medians, Albuquerque NM
With streetscape landscaping throughout town often lacking durability or a regional sense-of-place, this small and highly visible experimental project was conceived to disprove misconceptions about what landscapes along roadways can be given only rainfall. Plants native to arid central New Mexico were utilized, so the landscape could literally grow with no supplemental irrigation after one growing season. Trees were spaced and plantings group to maximize the view from highway speeds; materials were installed from smaller sizes to increase establishment rate. It has proven itself consistently over the last 5 years with excellent plant growth, in spite of drought and vandalism. |
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Reaching a Plateau Baca / Dlo'ay azhi Community School, Prewitt NM
The first LEED certified project in New Mexico was designed for K-6 education of Navajo children, with an incredible backdrop of windswept red mesas and blue skies. Drawing from some of the culturally significant plants in their culture, the design was based on inventively using such species in bold manners to reflect the modern architecture. Species that can survive on natural precipitation using water harvesting were exclusively incorporated along with large areas of native revegetation seeding. Careful plant placement was made in relation to grades, and temporary irrigation will be used to establish plantings.
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An Oasis for Worship Los Altos Christian Church, Albuquerque NM
Los Altos Christian Church updated their landscape setting in response to a recent building addition. Quercus was retained to solidify that vision, including creating a series of gathering areas. The budget was tight, the property large, and many members were skeptical of a landscape that conserves water. That challenge was met with a hard-working series of church member crews donating their time and efforts. More traditional landscape plants were used at the new entrance, such as a Fescue lawn, Chinese Pistache, Winter Jasmine, along with masses of Red Yucca, Thyme, and India Hawthorn. The erosion-prone "west bank" of the property contrasts masses of soil-binding plants such as Live Oak, Apache Plume, Turpentine Bush, punctuated by plantings of striking Beargrass and Sotol. |
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