Calle Bosque

The Calle Bosque residence is sited on a lot in the northwest comer of the Rio Grande Compound, a newly developed area at the edge of Albuquerque's river bosque.  Although small, the lot is enhanced by unobstructed views of preserved open space to the north where stands of large Cottonwoods, Russian Olives, and Willows form a backdrop for a clearing that is home to indigenous wildlife and native plants.  A dense grove of small Cottonwoods on the site provides a more intimate landscape, in the interactive relationship between interior and exterior spaces which characterizes this design.

The 3000 SF house is organized along an axis that aligns with true north, internalizing the sense of direction and solar orientation that is naturally indicated by the prominent aspects of the land around the city – the mountains to the east, the mesa to the west, and the river that runs between them.  The rooms splay off this axis, almost as though flung outward in a spiral, with the central, blade shaped space forming the dynamic spine of an organically developed, interior environment.  Evolved from a concept of discrete yet intersecting volumetric forms, this scheme allows for a sense of free passage from inside to outside and vice versa.

Responding to it's man made surroundings, the structure's overall appearance from the street lends itself to the traditional Southwest pueblo-style of neighboring homes in the compound while remaining distinctly contemporary in its clean geometry of overlapping and intersecting planes.  Its true connection, however, is to its natural surroundings, particularly the preserved open space.  The broad arc of the plan's spine creates living spaces that widen toward the north and open out onto a continuous vista seen through a series of aperture-like windows.  The north-facing, convex exterior walls project outward to create an interior space that acknowledges the expansiveness of the view beyond and seems to be enveloped by it.  Similarly, the glass-walled breakfast nook jutting into the outdoor space of the Cottonwood grove, suggests a sense of immersion in the landscape.  Combining geometry and function within an organic livable framework, the Calle Bosque residence integrates the ambiance and facilities of daily life with a gesture of response and connection to the natural environment.