Santo Domingo Pueblo Historic Plaza Area Renovation

Suina Design + Architecture is grateful to be part of Santo Domingo Pueblo’s extensive and persistent efforts to restore and rebuild the homes in the heart of their community.

The Santo Domingo Pueblo Historic Renovation project is an Arrowhead JV LLC project between Suina Design + Architecture and EPPX Construction.

In early 2020, Santo Domingo Pueblo adopted the New Mexico Earthen Building Code (EBC). This code establishes the standards for the renovations in the Historic Plaza area. The EBC requires permanent, non-adobe foundations as well as requires demolition and rebuilding of portions of the home that are not adobe construction.

The goal Santo Domingo Pueblo Historic Renovation Project is to renovate existing homes in the historic plaza area of Santo Domingo Pueblo to meet the EBC. Our work in Santo Domingo Pueblo centers the traditions, culture, and history of the community at every phase.

The design and floor plans of each home are drawn to preserve the integrity of the ancestral and traditional design concepts of the original homes. This means, every wall, fireplace, and corridors are rebuilt as they were designed by the generations of community architects and designers before us. Much of the adobes from existing homes were salvaged from demolition and re-purposed into mortar for the new construction, connecting both the practice and the physical material of the ancestors work in Santo Domingo Pueblo.