Earth-toned dyed, cast-in-place concrete, oxidized steel and glazing / photovoltaic panels are the materials selected for the expression of the architectural form. They reflect a similar pallette from the Taos vernacular architecture. The massive walls recall the closed, dense earthen walls of many of the region’s adobe structures, while contrasting with the openness of the glazing on the north and south facades, that allow natural day-lighting of the spaces.

This project includes the renovation of the existing 1900sf Val Verde Fire Station to house a Sheriff’s Substation and Fire Department, and the adjacent construction of an approximately 2300sf Apparatus Bay for the Fire Department. Due to a particularly low budget and site limitations, RMKMA designed a circular drive in order to provide redundant ingress/egress for the fire fighters and officers. A CMU site wall will hide the existing metal building and creates the appearance of a public safety complex, while also enclosing a secure outdoor zone connecting the two facilities. Construction has begun, will break during the inclement winter months, and is expected to be complete by Summer 2012.

The new police headquarters will serve a rapidly growing Tribal Police Department and will be located in what is planned to be a new tribal commercial development on the northernmost edge of the City. The facility is planned based on 20 year growth assumptions, with means for flexibility incorporated based on the ever-changing needs of the department. The Design Team is using well-practiced methods for creating varying levels of security, and secure and public zones, while incorporating traditional elements of pueblo design in keeping with Sandia Tribal culture and tradition. The facility will be open and inviting to the public, and, since it will be the first new building in the tribal commercial development, strives to set the standard for future development in the area.

This project involves replacing the existing Tribal Administration building, located on the Plaza in the center of the Pueblo. The 30,000gsf building will house Tribal Leadership offices, Tribal Council, Tribal Courts, Tribal Administration departments, and a community senior center. The proposed two-story building scheme will take advantage of spectacular, uninterrupted views of the Sandia Mountains to the East. The Design Team is currently working in the Schematic Design phase.

RMKMA performed the following services: needs assessment, programming, conceptual design and probable construction cost modeling. McKinley County, in association with L.A.M. Corporation, Loren Miller, AIA – Architect-of-Record, asked RMKMA to prepare a Space Program and Concepts Report that took into consideration the Municipal Court, Magistrate Court, and DWI programs in one facility. The document studies and explores site options for combining aspects of the existing Magistrate Court with the Gallup Municipal Court on the existing site. Additionally, the DWI and DWI Compliance Program will also be included in this new facility. The purpose of this Program and Conceptual Master Plan is to collect data, interview all department supervisors, analyze data, develop goals and present concepts which will allow for the best site utilization within the County’s budget parameters and how the new facility will best connect to the existing buildings. As directed, the facility should be planned for 10 years growth potential. Other considerations include: adequate security checkpoints, public lobbies, jury courtrooms, jury assembly area, jury deliberation rooms, secure means of transporting prisoners from the existing ADC, secure judges’ chambers, attorney-client conference rooms, adequate restrooms and drinking fountains, building code compliance, handicapped accessibility, and segregated (restricted, secured, public) vertical and horizontal circulation. Programming, Masterplanning, and Schematic Design are completed; the 30,000gsf new facility and 10,400gsf renovated existing facility are currently in Design Development phase.

gathering (proto-urban assemblages around a “middle place”)

alignment (sun, moon, sacred directions)

harmony with natural surroundings (earth-water-air-fire-spiritual)

prehistory (function & belief based architectural chronology)

The Council Chambers evolved as a place of cultural significance. The spirit of the composition respects cultural interdependence between work-worship-recreation and imparts rhythm as an aesthetic experience.

The architectural forms, as well as the materials used, have a direct relationship with those used in the designed by RMKM and constructed in 2008. Both as a singular architectural expression and paired with the fire station, this building visually emphasizes a pre-existing identity in Bloomfield – one of unity and strength.

These prototypical Fire Stations were built simultaneously under a single contract resulting in time and cost savings to the County of Bernalillo. The 8,000 SF floor plans for these facilities are nearly identical; only slightly modified to adapt to their respective sites. The fully accessible floor plan is organized about an internal “race-track” circulation system that engages the site security strategies, and five distinct functional zones support the EMERGENCY operations. The Prototype integrates complex Information Age Technologies, and balances current departmental functions with flexible modular environments to embrace the need for continual change and perpetual innovation. The Fire Station #2 design, along with its sister facility, Fire Station #8, incorporate a conference room that is designed to be available for community functions. Should the fire crew respond to a call, the community room can be quickly secured from the other areas of the station yet still allowing access to the restrooms for the public.

Executed by the same design team, utilizing similar design language, and aligning axes and public entries, the Northwest Area Command Headquarters recently joined the previously completed AFD Fire Station Twenty One across the street to form a cohesive City of Albuquerque Public Safety complex. The Northwest Area Command is the City of Albuquerque’s state-of-the-art decentralized community policing headquarters for the fast growing Northwest Quadrant. This facility is APD’s flagship substation and is currently being reviewed for a LEED Gold certification. Public entry elements such as the oversized porch, day lit lobby, and Community Room emphasize APD’s mission for connection and accessibility between the surrounding community, all the while the strong block walls send a message of strength and stability.

The facility is designed to excel in areas of energy efficiency through abundant natural light, efficient lighting and daylight dimming, photovoltaic electrical power, and geothermal heating and cooling.  The project will also provide improved indoor environmental quality (outside air, low-VOC content materials), and water use reduction and rainwater harvesting for the landscape irrigation.

Designed as a decentralized community policing headquarters, the new facility has the distinction of being APD’s largest substation and one of the first ground-up LEED Certified facilities for the City of Albuquerque.