Los Poblanos is a testament to the lasting power and influence of John Gaw Meem’s architecture and design.
Very few states in the United States have a single definitive architectural style. New Mexico comes close thanks to building hallmarks that are as unique as the landscape. Not only is the state home to some of the oldest pre-Hispanic, multilevel pueblo buildings in the country; it has also long attracted craftsmen, artisans, and architects who recognize the importance of preservation and who have created a design vocabulary exclusive to The Land of Enchantment.
You can’t talk about some of the most notable structures in New Mexico without mentioning one of its most important architects, John Gaw Meem (1894 – 1983). The Brazilian-American spent much of his early life on the East Coast — he studied engineering at the Virginia Military Institute before heading to New York City to work on some of the first subway tunnels. Then tuberculosis struck, and Meem was forced into looking for a more arid climate and warmer temperatures. He found solace in Santa Fe, where he began working with doctors to heal both his body and mind.
Meem also found purpose in meeting Portuguese-American artist Carlos Vierra. “They spoke the same language and became friends right away,” says Matt Rembe, executive director of Albuquerque’s historic inn and organic farm, Los Poblanos. “At the time, Vierra was at the forefront of historic preservation of various churches and missions that needed restoration. He knew how to raise money for pueblos and little Spanish towns like Las Trampas.” Meem joined Vierra on his mission and got involved to help restore some of the great New Mexican churches, and developed the vocabulary for the various parts of adobes that were Indian, Anglo, Mexican, and Arabic.
All that happened before Meem became an actual architect. By 1927 he was one of the few AIAs registered in the state and developing his Pueblo Revival style in residential and commercial projects. “His importance can’t be overstated because we have some of the oldest architecture in the United States, and he really felt like he needed to become a regionalist and preservationist. He recognized that saving the style was so important for our culture,” Rembe says. “Because he was also an engineer, his buildings are highly functional, but he also designed all the decorative work inside, from the tile work and lighting to the fountains and door handles. He really understood the historical references, and his designs tipped a hat to all the arts and crafts, materials, and building techniques of New Mexico.”
In particular, Meem paid homage to homegrown details like tinwork, reverse-painted glass, adobe, and ironwork, which contributed to his dramatic influence. “He’s had more of an impact on any state than any other architect in their respective states,” Rembe says. “There are certainly more important architects with more seminal buildings, but no one’s had a bigger impact on a single state. The Plaza in Santa Fe, many churches, and even the University of New Mexico campus all look a certain way because of him.”
Still, the greatest influence is perhaps felt at Los Poblanos, the property located just outside of Albuquerque where Ruth Hanna and Albert Simms relocated from the Midwest in the 1930s to establish their massive dairy farm. “Ruth Hanna was a real force — she was a leader of the suffragette movement — and she programmed the property with an art gallery, women’s card room, and events like the June music festival,” Rembe says. “She was only here for a decade before dying in her 40s, and it was she who selected John as the architect.”
Meem’s Eventual Revival
Los Poblanos showcases Meem’s knack for designing beautiful residences (“This is one of the five most important,” Rembe says) and public buildings. In fact, he built them side by side on the property. “The Hacienda is where he cemented ‘Territory Revival,’ ” Rembe explains. “He didn’t think Albuquerque had its own vocabulary like Santa Fe did, so he developed a style here.” The territorial combination includes Spanish colonial, New Mexican adobe, and Anglo-inspired brick coping on the roof, along with Greek pedimented windows and doors. “That inspired more people coming in on the railroad to build in a ‘New Mexican’ style,” Rembe adds. “They couldn’t relate to mud hut, but they could relate to this style. That’s why these buildings are important.”
Next door, La Quinta was designed with a ballroom, hand-carved ceilings, massive fireplaces, and WPA-era artwork of a pastoral farm. “The different finishes and artwork are integral to the building. John designed everything and then worked with artists and craftsmen to execute his vision, while Ruth Hanna picked amazing materials from her travels to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco,” Rembe says. “It’s so different than anything he ever did in New Mexico.” The building is home to so many treasures including some of the best iron- and tinwork in the state, a fresco by noted American painter Peter Hurd, carved wood mantel and doors by Gustave Baumann, and even custom hardware by sculptor Walter Gilbert on every door.
Today, Los Poblanos is a family-owned business that has become a destination for travelers looking for the solace the 50- room inn, working organic farm, and field-to-table menus provide. The family looked to Pasadena-based architect and urban planner Stefanos Polyzoides and brought in historians to maintain the integrity of the buildings and landscape, which includes a mix of lavender, fruits, vegetables, semi-formal gardens, and formal gardens.
“Today, we have 330 employees, and seven or eight different business segments, including agri-tourism and our line of Los Poblanos lotions and salves that are available around the country,” Rembe says. “Even as we’ve expanded, we want to continue to tell the architectural story here. That’s why we built new units in the Territory Revival style. We didn’t do too many because we didn’t want to take away from those two great buildings, so we were pretty thoughtful about how we did it.”
That meant following the precedent set by Meem when designing the new units’ operable windows to take advantage of cross drafts and figuring out the scale of the vigas and fireplaces. “We also paid homage to a lot of the rhythms he created,” Rembe adds. “Meem was great about making changes from room to room — there wasn’t a single floor finish or ceiling style. One room might have whitewashed plaster, then you go to another, and you find vigas or brick or latillas or painted wood. That happened a lot in New Mexico as people added on, so we were mindful about bringing that in.”
The spirit of the property remains intact beyond the structures. San Ysidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, figured prominently in the architect’s original designs and is still honored by Los Poblanos today. He’s become the brand of Los Poblanos. “He’s the guy on all of our products, and we have a celebration for him every year on May 15,” Rembe says. “We’re here to continue the story of everything that drove Meem’s design work and all the history here. Sure, this place had the first pool in Albuquerque and some of the most elegant buildings ever built, but all the artwork is inspired by agriculture and farming. The driver has always been farming, and it remains that way today.”
Explore travel options and see more of Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm at lospoblanos.com.
From our August/September 2024 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm
