The Pattern Language of Taos Architecture

By Rachel Preston Prinz

For Taos Pecha Kucha Night III – June 2011

Old Spanish Trail & Town of Taos Projects:

Miles Flown: 1620 Miles Hiked (trails): 30

Miles Driven: 4150 Miles Walked (Taos): 25

Number of Photos: 3250

What is an Architectural Language? It’s a way of seeing beyond “Style”…

An Architectural Pattern Language is a wayof applying archaeological & architectural theory to learn what buildings “Mean”, and what they “Say.”We study this so that we can use the language in new ways…To create entirely NEW ARCHITECTURE that stays true to more than just style. It understand it’s place, and responds to it,in modern ways…

informed by the past…

For instance… What buildings say about …

BEYOND STYLE LANGUAGES

Time – Space – Perspective

Community & Family

Spirit(includes light-shadow, full-void)

Relationships with:

Earth

Water

Air

Fire

Building Uses:Sacred & SecularCommercial & Residential

Social Values:Community / Family / Self

Aesthetic values:SymmetryCraftsmanshipDetail

Response to environment

MASSING

SOFT FLOWING EDGES

FENCES

POSITIVE / NEGATIVE

SPIRIT

SECURITY

WINDOWS

DOORS

RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENT

SHADE

VIEWS / DELIGHT

For more Information, visit:

TaosArchitecture.blogspot.com

And come see how we are using this information to create an entirely new GREEN architecture for New Mexico at TEDxABQ in September!