2020 Chapter Newsletter: Quarter 4

NMASLA — December 2020

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear NMASLA members,

I hope you enjoyed the holidays with friends and family (even if only virtually!) through this unprecedented year for all of us. It has been perhaps the strangest and most challenging year ever for most of us, and we made it! Perhaps in 2021, we can return to some semblance of normalcy. For myself, I am making resolutions to reach out and share my gratitude more often to family, friends, my studio team, and colleagues. This year has given me pause at remembering how vital my fellow human beings in my circle are that bring me love, joy, wisdom, and some good laughs. You count in that group, and I am thankful for you being a part of our New Mexico ASLA family.

For this atypical year without a single quarterly event due to the pandemic, we have exciting news to share. The Q4 project video tours created by the students of UNM are now complete! I want to thank Mary Mays, Gabe Raab-Faber and Hollis Moore for their contributions in meeting with professionals, gathering data, learning about the project and process, as well as presenting a dynamic way for our members to see some of the projects a few of our New Mexico firms have been working on over the past few years. It is my hope we can do more of these, and develop an archive of projects for our members to explore over time.

We are also providing a list of award-winning projects by the landscape architecture firms of our great state for 2020. If your project(s) are not listed, please contact us and we will get you credited in the next newsletter!

Thank you for your support of NMASLA. I want to wish you a Happy New Year and hope that it is filled with reinvigoration, good health, and dreams realized.

Kenneth Francis, NMASLA President

2020 Award Winning Projects

This time of year, its always good to sit back and look at our accomplishments, and take stock of the work we’ve done, and reflect on what was learned from that work. But its also time to show a little pride in sharing what our peers and allied professions have thought of our work and our contributions to the success of the projects. Listed below are the projects that have been reported by NMASLA members of the projects that have received awards during the 2020 calendar year.

DPS (Dekker Perich Sabatini)

https://www.dpsdesign.org/blog/naiop-nm-2020-awards-the-best-of-the-best

NAIOP Eagle Award

• Electric Playhouse

• Kirkland Resiliency Project

NAIOP Merit Award

• ABC Training Facility

• UNM AIMS Charter School

• Shining Stars Preschool Campus

• Paako Ridge Golf Club House

• Las Estancias Clinic

• Soleras Station

• Netflix Operations Office

• New Mexico Department of Game and Fish - Roswell

Groundwork Studio

https://groundworkstudionm.com/work/

American Planning Association New Mexico Chapter - First Place

• Equity in Planning - International District Urban Agriculture Plan

• Long Range Planning - Statewide Urban Forestry Management Plan

MRWM

https://www.mrwmla.com/projects

NAIOP Eagle Award

• UNM Physics Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Sciences

• Aspen Community School

NAIOP Merit Award

• Zocalo Lofts

• APS Lowell West Complex

• Lovington Wellness Center

• City of Albuquerque Regional Transportation Management Center

AIA

• United States Land Port of Entry, Columbus, New Mexico

AGC

• UNM Physics Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science

AIA New Mexico

• United States Land Port of Entry, Columbus, New Mexico

• New Mexico State Police Building, District 7 Headquarters

• Education Collaborative

Surroundings

https://surroundings.studio/projects

AIA New Mexico

• New Mexico School for the Arts

CLIMATE-READY TREES

Trees play an important role not only in our designs but in the health of our planet. As we address climate change, we will need to assess not only the health of our current tree canopy, but look seriously at the future, and what trees will survive in the new environmental conditions presented by these changes. Cities and towns are beginning to see the potential impact of an aging tree canopy and thus the impact it will have on them. In Albuquerque, Mayor Tim Keller has set a goal of planting 100,000 new trees by 2030 (Albuquerque Journal, December 27, 2020). As landscape architects, this positions our profession at the forefront of leading this effort, both in our projects and in our organization.

The Nature Conservancy has recently issued a new report listing tree species that are suitable for a variety of growing situations both in Albuquerque and New Mexico. They offer suggested trees for landscapes in seven different sites from xeriscapes to streetscapes to fruit trees. You will find some old favorites as well as some newcomers.

To view the full report please use the link:

Virtual Project Tours

As the ability to orchestrate field trips with the design teams and the membership to explore new projects as they come online is hindered by the current pandemic restrictions, we have asked students from the University of New Mexico Department of Landscape Architecture to assemble brief videos of some of the more high profile projects that some of the NMASLA members offices have been working on. Our sincere thanks to Mary Mays who spearheaded the effort with the students and was instrumental in getting these projects done on top of class projects.

We, therefore, include for your enjoyment, three recent projects (more videos are in the works)!

UPCOMING EVENTS

As we start 2021, we would like to introduce a Project Dashbord for our firms in New Mexico to begin listing the work that is currently being produced. We would like to have this updated either by quarter or semiannually, depending upon how the work progresses. The information will be compiled and listed in three categories:

• Projects Recently Awarded

• Projects in Design/Out for bid

• Projects in Construction/Completion

Please send information and updates as the projects move through the phases to:

Richard C. Bumstead at: glenclark6517@yahoo.com

We believe this will be very useful for the NMASLA membership to see what’s going on in the profession. Many thanks…..