Day 3 | Friday Dec. 9

8:30 AM - The third day of our trip the Albuquerque began on a more casual note. We were not up against any hard agenda timelines, so we took our time to immerse ourselves into the culture and fabric of the Pueblo community. Additionally, we did a very thorough walkthrough of Hotel Albuquerque, as it represented a convergence of old-world Spanish, Mexican and Pueblo architecture and design.

Why is this important? Because when we engage in the work of designing a new-world version of how communities can be designed, it is important to understand the historical backdrop from which we study to gain an understanding of the artistic, ethnic, and cultural influences of the native people groups. From that we extrapolate the natural evolution process, to inform how we can best create a world that reflects a true history, rather than a white-washed version. This is equally true for making room for the historic black cultural representation in how we design, so we can best visualize that influence in today’s development environment.

The main lobby of Hotel Albuquerque, showing the architectural influence of the Spanish, Mexican and Pueblo styles

A pergola, band of some chili peppers, courtyard fountain, inset accent chairs, and chandelier at Hotel Albuquerque

11:00 AM - After spending the morning at the hotel, we went back to the IPCC facility where we spent a great deal of time exploring the museum, art galleries, collections of murals, and library. It was a very educational moment and hearing from some of the staff who work there, made an impression on us that will last for quite some time.

One gentleman, who one would automatically think of as a manager, spoke with us, and shared this very interesting nugget of how he views his staff and vice versa. When asked “Are you the manager here?” He looked, paused for a moment, and then said “Well, we don’t really

have managers around here. No one is better or higher on the ladder than another. So really, I just help my team understand the collective responsibilities, and then we all gravitate towards helping one another to accomplish the tasks. They all know who the leader is… it doesn’t need

to be spoken or worn on a badge.” As stated earlier, this was a profound way of learning how a group of native people view leadership, as well as group success.

Native artifacts at the Pueblo Museum featuring pottery, musical instruments, and art

Native architectural miniatures at the Pueblo Museum showcasing the old building methodologies

Tony Chavarria (Santa Clara Pueblo), Curator of Ethnology at the Pueblo Museum, discussing Pueblo history with guests