We are pleased to welcome Joshua Haws back to McClain+Yu Architecture & Design. Joshua returns to the office as a full-time team member following his graduation from the University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning. He will be involved in all aspects of work across the office, from early design exploration through project delivery. Joshua brings with him a distinguished academic record, earning three of the school's most prestigious honors: the AIA Henry Medal, the BTES Edward Allen Award, and the College's Award of Graduate Excellence in Design. These recognitions reflect both the quality of his thinking and the depth of his commitment to the discipline.
CONGRATULATIONS DIEGO O'NEILL!
We are excited to celebrate Diego O’Neill on successfully passing all of his Architectural Registration Examinations and becoming a licensed Architect in New Mexico. With this achievement, Diego is stepping into his new role as Architect within our office.
This milestone represents years of focus and determination in his studies and in the office. We are in awe of Diego’s numerous hours dedicated to studying for the tests, and his engaged questions at the office always during projects. He was an enthusiastic intern asking all the great questions during all phases of projects. We look forward to seeing how he continues to develop as an architect and the leadership impact he brings to projects in our communities!
MICHAEL HILL AT NMSU, CSDAL!
At McClain + Yu, we are proud of our team's collective expertise in designing and managing higher education projects. Mike Hill served as the Project Architect and Project Manager for CSDAL, and was fully involved in every aspect of this significant undertaking. His extensive involvement in this project, along with his contributions to others, has played a crucial role in shaping our office's success in managing institutional projects over the years. In the late 90s, New Mexico State University embarked on a mission to develop a state-of-the-art facility to accommodate specialized laboratories and administrative spaces for the Center for the Sustainable Development of Arid Lands (CSDAL). The university recognized that designing a facility that could meet the center's unique needs was an important part of the university's mission. NMSU enlisted the expertise of Mike Hill, in collaboration with Van Gilbert and Shepley & Bulfinch architectural offices, to help bring the vision to life.
The team of architects helped to create a comprehensive scheme, complete with conceptual ideas, drawings, and renders, that would secure the necessary funding for the project. The efforts successfully acquired legislative funding approval and eventual completion of the project in 2001. The College of Agriculture is home to the Center for the Sustainable Development of Arid Lands (CSDAL), a facility that spans 147,000 square feet and costs $18 million to construct. This center is specifically built to cater to the complex needs of modern agriculture and is equipped with cutting-edge technology and resources to support research, education, and outreach programs. A significant portion of the facility, 50,000 square feet, has been allotted for laboratory space, making it one of the largest agricultural research facilities in the region. The laboratory is equipped with advanced tools and equipment for plant breeding, soil science, and water management research.
CSDAL is home to numerous departments, including Agronomy and Horticulture, Extension Plant Sciences, USDA/ARS Jornada Experimental Range, Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Sciences. The facility houses various laboratories, like the Molecular Biology Lab, Weed Insect Biology Lab, Plant Pathology Lab, Integrated Pest Management Lab, High Containment Insect Facility (Quarantine Lab), Anthropod Museum, and GIS and Remote Sensing Lab. The Weed Insect Biology Lab is particularly noteworthy since it has been designed to completely isolate from the external environment.
The building's exterior consists of two main volumes connected by an octagonal rotunda. One wing serves as office and administration areas, while the other accommodates research and laboratory spaces. The grand staircase inside the rotunda highlights the spatial quality of the octagonal volume. The staircase details were meticulously taken care of, with the construction and fabrication progressing in sections, each reviewed by Hill, the Project Architect of CSDAL. The building's three floors are layered, utilizing color, material, and texture to evoke a modernized interpretation of the column structure reminiscent of a base, shaft, and capital. Alternating the fenestration scheme on each level introduces an understanding of the pilaster balustrade order. The building's enduring presence is reflected by the copper-clad cupola on top of the dome, which complements the evolving identity of the campus.
Throughout the years, the architectural style of NMSU has undergone significant transformations, evolving from its original appearance to a more modern design. The CSDAL building was specially crafted to bridge the styles within the NMSU campus. The building nods to the reduced Neoclassical origins of the campus by incorporating a warm, red clay tile for the roof reminiscent of Spanish basilicas. Also, CSDAL pays great attention to the contemporary fenestration scheme, which allows for the interior of the building to be functional as teaching and research spaces.
The Center for the Sustainable Development of Arid Lands (CSDAL) remains one of the most extensive and technologically advanced facilities on NMSU's campus, serving as a testament to the university's commitment to sustainable development and innovation. With its cutting-edge technology and impressive faculty and researchers, CSDAL is vital in promoting sustainable agriculture practices and advancing our understanding of arid lands.
WE'VE MOVED!
We are moving! But will still be located in the Southeast Heights of Albuquerque, true to District 6! We are happily located near Sandia National Labs, Kirtland Airforce Base, and the Sunport. We look forward to seeing you in our new location: 2010 Ridgecrest Dr SE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108.
CHANGE
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” ― Leo Tolstoy
Well, we try to do both. In that spirit, we experienced change these weeks in so many ways. We settled into a new reality, if not for the moment perhaps longer, of caution and care for ourselves and our clients over COVID 19. Our world has been made coincidentally larger and overwhelmingly connected AND smaller and forever precious. We are not only our own stewards of health but of the health of others. The compounded crises of our country is an opportunity to reflect upon our individual and collective roles in making the community we desire to see. We see that taking care of ourselves means taking care of and being responsible to our greater selves - our country. Until we see us as the US, we can not confidently move forward. All of us matter and matter greatly. Originally this note was to highlight that we have moved and it is time to be grateful and reflective of all that is ongoing, we are humbled that this is time where we require healing together and create action together to lift up the better parts of ourselves. (Edit: 06.01.2020)
We finally moved our office this last week to 2010 RIDGECREST DR. SE (across the street). We practice fastidiously the values of social distancing but bring our projects and our community closer to us in content, attention and focus. We are constantly seeking change to create a better work environment, better project environment. We anxiously await the change in our culture and community that better leads us to create the change we wish to see in ourselves.
NEW POSITIONS @McCLAIN+YU!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are expanding our team.
Position: Intern Architect/Interested Educator
McClain + Yu Architecture & Design is seeking a full-time intern architect with interests in architectural education and developing architectural skills in project delivery to join our lively team at the office and to work with principal in the capacity of teaching at the University. Revit knowledge is desirable though not req'd. Educational teaching experience is desirable though not req'd. Pay commensurate with experience. Please submit cover letter (Letter of interest in the office and interest in architectural education), resume, writing sample and abbreviated portfolio of experience. Contact: info@mcclain-yu.com
Position: Architect/Intern Architect (5 + yrs experience)
Are you ready for a change? Ready for an experience that counts? Ready to move your career forward? Ready to learn and contribute on an accelerated level? McClain + Yu Architecture & Design is seeking a full-time architect or intern architect with 3-5 yrs experience to join our lively team. Revit knowledge is desirable though not req'd. Pay commensurate with experience. Please submit cover letter, resume and abbreviated portfolio of experience. Contact: info@mcclain-yu.com
LANTERNS OF STEEL...
Pascetti Steel of Albuquerque has made a video via drone of the Lantern canopies on Smith Plaza.
McCLAIN+YU VISITS CONSTRUCTION SITES WITH STUDENTS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
In an effort to help build knowledge across Albuquerque's professional groups, McClain+Yu supports and are excited to take students and others on visit of our construction sites. Smith Plaza on the campus of the UNM is taking shape and the brick paver work is beautiful. In the works of Louis Kahn, "You say to a brick, 'What do you want, brick?' And brick says to you, 'I like an arch.' And you say to brick, 'Look, I want one, too, but arches are expensive and I can use a concrete lintel.' And then you say: 'What do you think of that, brick?' Brick says: 'I like an arch.'"
Even the humble brick expresses an ability to be extraordinary. The brick paver work in Smith Plaza is an occasion to celebrate the BRICK!
SPRING IS HERE AND NEW CONSTRUCTION SITE SIGN GOES UP!
It's always exciting to see the signs go up and new projects to commence. We are pleased in Socorro another McCLAIN+YU sign goes up for a project. Happy spring!
VOTE YES, to G.O. Bond C, NOV 8!
New Mexicans are able to vote on General Obligation bonds every two years. In 2016, G.O. Bond Issue C will provide funding to improve and renovate aging and required building infrastructure for higher education institutions around the state. These brick and mortar projects are fundamental to creating the academic environment necessary for New Mexico’s colleges, universities and specialty schools to build the strengths of our NM students. Vote YES to Bond C.
M+Y AND MPOWER COLLABORATE!
McCLAIN+YU and mPOWER have collaborated on several design explorations since 2012. They are now awarded the AIA UPJOHN research award to create a demonstration project utilizing the DRAGON SCALEs (TM).
YOUNG ARCHITECTS FORUM VISITS GREEN JEANS FARMERY
A vibrant and energetic crowd of from the Young Architects Forum takes part in a #hardhattour of McClain + Yu's Green Jeans Farmery. The issues raised by the group spoke of their interests to see new and innovative building types created in the city of Albuquerque. They had great questions about site conditions and construction challenges.
REVIT POWERBOOST! →
Everyone can attest to the REVIT capacity to provide powerful coordination, however, for the modest-sized office, REVIT allows us to power-boost our personal capability to create, coordinate, collaborate to new heights. Here is Raimund to tell us more...
ARCHITECTS TO WATCH - CAMPUS TRENDS →
On Nov. 16-18, 2011, Trespa hosted the Cutting-Edge Campuses program at its Design Centre in lower Manhattan, bringing together leading architects responsible for shaping the landscape of colleges and universities across the United States, to explore ideas regarding 21st century planning, design and programming.
Architects welcomed a three-hour roundtable on Nov. 17 as an opportunity to share ideas. Raimund McClain was invited as a panelist and named an "Architect to Watch" by SchoolConstruction News.
Here are words from each of the 11 panelists, the "architects to watch."