Autotroph

11/04/2022

Autotroph is pleased to announce that we have broken ground on this innovative food / beverage, retail and entertainment complex in Rio Rancho. This design incorporates re-purposed shipping containers around a Central Park green space with a lawn, stage and video wall for entertainment. An Eatery is connected to the outdoor spaces with roll up garage doors and will provide a variety food offerings. An upper level bar, Top of the Block, will serve exquisite cocktails while offering amazing sunset views of the Sandia Mountains. This will be the spot for family and adult entertainment in Rio Rancho! Coming in 2023. Learn more at https://www.theblock-peh.com/

The Block will be a new retail development located in the Enchanted Hills shopping center in Rio Rancho.

05/07/2022

Autotroph is happy to announce that our renovation of Santa Fe's favorite art house theater is complete and the Jean Cocteau Cinema is hosting a reopening celebration this weekend! Come out to see the improved theater with new finishes, comfortable seats and improved sight lines. This weekend's celebration has an incredible slate of classic movies. For showtimes and more info, go to: https://www.jeancocteaucinema.com/events-2

03/11/2022

Construction has begun on our renovation of the Jean Cocteau Cinema. Santa Fe's best little performance space is getting an upgrade! This remodel will preserve the Jean Cocteau’s beloved art deco charm, while making the theater much more comfortable and inviting for guests. New seats, improved sight lines, better sound + lighting and a more flexible space will make this the go to theater and performance space in the City Different.

03/03/2022

Like the rest of the world, the staff of Autotroph is appalled by the actions of the Putin regime against Ukraine. We stand in solidarity with Architects, Designers and other Creatives in Ukraine, Russia and the rest of the world in opposition to this unnecessary and horrific war. As this open letter reminds us, it is not the people of Russia who are the instigators of this war, but rather the county's dictator and his enablers in the Russian oligarchy and military. We urge all design professionals to recommit themselves to the betterment of society and the planet through design and to oppose unjust actions in whatever form they may take.

More than 6,500 Russian architects, designers and urban planners have signed an open letter to condemn the invasion of Ukraine and "demand the immediate end of violent war".

02/18/2022

Autotroph is pleased to announce that our Starship proposal is featured in this new publication! This collaboration with Tim Schwartz is a sustainable, mobile community hub. Land Art of the 21st Century Fly Ranch documents the notable submissions to a LAGI sponsored Design Competition for innovative off-grid infrastructure ideas for Burning Man's Fly Ranch Property. It can be purchased here: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/L/bo120140891.html

11/01/2021

Another day at the office with Autotroph! When you spend time on the site and work to understand it, good things happen. We believe that architecture should be a collaboration with the land, not an imposition.

10/28/2021

Autotroph is honored to be included on this list of the top firms serving Custom Residential Clients in New Mexico!

New Mexico is popular among retirees. The state has a unique blend of culture and traditions, plenty of spots for recreation, and a landscape that is nothing less than breathtaking. New Mexico’s diverse population includes Latinos, Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, and people from the Middle E...

08/24/2021

Concrete naturally absorbs CO2 through a process called carbonation. Not as much CO2 as it takes to make it, but a carbon sink none the less. There are people and companies are looking at ways of increasing it's CO2 absorption potential. Wouldn't it be great if someday the buildings we construct absorb and sequester more CO2 than it takes to build them? Then the built environment can be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Around half of the carbon emissions from cement production are reabsorbed by the material used in buildings and infrastructure, according to the latest IPCC climate report.

08/23/2021

As architects we have an enormous responsibility, and opportunity, to make the world a better place for current and future generations. Autotroph supports the efforts of , and their call on design professionals to design zero carbon buildings immediately. We commit to doing our part in this endeavor.

Architects can prevent the worst effects of climate change by deciding to design and build to net-zero carbon standards, argues architect Edward Mazria.

08/04/2021

Autotroph is pleased to announce that we'll be working with Santa Fe County on this exciting project. We look forward to collaborating with SF County Housing Authority and other project stake holders to deliver new, affordable housing and quality design to this growing area in Santa Fe.

The proposed mixed-use housing complex for low-income renters would be built on county-owned land inside city limits.

08/03/2021

On the return leg of their classic road trip, the Dzurec family stopped in Las Vegas for some rest and relaxation. While many people flock to the Strip, Alexander and family wanted to see some of the other sights. They were in search of good design and cutting-edge entertainment. So, the first stop was Downtown Las Vegas where visionary Tony Hsieh led the redevelopment of this once forgotten area far away from the typical Vegas attractions. Conceived as a start-up tech incubator meets arts district, there is a distinctively different vibe here. Yes it’s Vegas, so still over the top, but here art trumps glitz. There is a shipping container retail park, a praying mantis sculpture that breathes fire, old motels and nondescript buildings reinvigorated with mural art and sculpture. This was a place, that while new, felt authentic in ways that the Strip just doesn’t.

A few blocks down the street is the Fremont Street experience. Here the art vibe of Downtown meets casino culture for a truly extraordinary experience. Several blocks of Freemont Street are covered with a vaulted roof featuring a comprehensive video display. Like a modern Sistine Chapel, it illuminates the onlookers below with constantly changing graphics. A surreal urban renewal project.

Lastly, Alexander and family visited Area 15 and their good friends at Meow Wolf. Located inside this trippy art themed entertainment complex, Omega Mart is right at home. A supermarket that opens up portals to a mind-bending multiverse. Complex video projection mapping, luminescent etched glass, bizarro-world corporate offices and many other psychedelic works of art. Meow Wolf has really upped their game with Omega Mart.

This visit has shown that Las Vegas has a lot to offer beyond the tourist trap of the Strip. Surprisingly; it is a living breathing city infused with art, creativity, entertainment and quirky humor.

07/30/2021

Fly Ranch is a truly spectacular place. It is set in a seemingly inhospitable desert site surrounded by mountains, dried up lake beds and scrub brush. But the presence of water makes it an oasis. This former ranch is blessed with artesian springs, natural (and manmade) hot springs and abundant wetlands. It serves as a natural habitat for wild horses, birds, sheep, mountain lions, scorpions and even freshwater snails. It is also overrun with invasive plant species and has the scars of human occupation. Fly Ranch Guardians are in the process of managing invasive species and ecologically restoring significant areas on the property. Also set within the site are pieces of art. Built for Burning Man’s past as well as site specific pieces. Wandering the site, you wonder if you are in a fairy tale. Baba Yaga’s House, the Pier, and the Narwal are art installations that are at once alien and at home in such a landscape.

While there, firm Principal Alexander and his family, experienced extreme temperatures related to the heat wave that hit the Pacific Northwest in late June: 105 deg. or higher each day of their trip. It reminds us of the delicate balance of nature in which life can thrive. A few degrees warmer, make sites like this exponentially less habitable. This trip was a visceral reminder of the effects of climate change and how we should tread lightly on the land, especially in places like this.

07/28/2021

The Starship crew (Alexander Dzurec & Tim Schwartz) landed at the LAGI Campout at Burning Man's Fly Ranch. We were invited to this temporary community to meet and collaborate with other shortlisted teams for the Design the Future of Fly Ranch competition, sponsored by Land Art Generator Initiative. Our proposal, the Starship, is envisioned as a community hub for this temporary settlement. At Fly Ranch we saw first-hand what a modern nomadic settlement can be. Van camping, shipping container shelters and off grid renewable energy; the same elements of the Starship! Lots of lessons learned.

While there we also met some amazing artists and designers. Over the span of 4 days, we connected with Teams: Ripple, SEED, Flyline and the Source; investigated the site and shared ideas. In the process we lived the nomadic lifestyle that is envisioned for Fly Ranch and part of the larger Burning Man Culture. A spectacular place shared with spectacular people.

07/22/2021

Autotroph is pleased to announce that our La Molina residence is featured in the latest issue of Trend Magazine! Please check it out and see this amazing residence and all the other fine art and design in this issue.

07/21/2021

Like many Americans this summer, firm principal Alexander Dzurec struck out with his family on a classic road trip. In response to an invitation from Burning Man to visit their Fly Ranch property, they loaded up their Jeep, picked up a camper trailer, and hit the road. From New Mexico to Arizona to Nevada and back again the Dzurec family experienced the rugged beauty of the American West. Along the way they also saw the quirkiness that makes this region so unique. Alien Bars on the way to Death Valley, the bright lights of Las Vegas, mobile home "vernacular" housing in Beatty, and the roadside architecture of Tonopah.

After a year and a half of Covid lock-down it was reinvigorating to get out and hit the road again. It renewed Alexander's appreciation and love of this remarkable country.

06/15/2021

The , by bike or by car, is a National Forest Scenic Byway circling Wheeler Peak, the highest mountain in New Mexico. The route goes through Angel Fire Resort and home to the Moreno Valley High School, an Autotroph .

Facing intense winds in a mountain valley, the forms and geometry of the Moreno Valley High School are based on aerodynamic principles. On the western edge of the school, the prow-like structure of the central building is designed to funnel wind around the school. The building forms a sheltered courtyard for school and community activities.

Inside, the classrooms take advantage of heating and natural daylighting. A central gathering hall is protected by a roof designed to shed the wind, capture rainwater and snow while still letting in abundant natural light.

While we cannot change the direction of the wind, we can design a building that protects and lets the light in for excellence in education. Moreno Valley High School is based in the , a liberal-arts system of education based in equity.

06/10/2021

Whether you take high-road or the low-road, there’s no wrong way to drive to .

Along the low-road, the tranquil is home to art and farming. Autotroph designed the Embudo Valley Library to be a community focal point for the residents of Dixon and surrounding areas.

was central to the design of the library. A orientation, abundant south-facing glazing, an trombe wall (wall painted a dark color to absorb thermal energy), adobe interior walls and concrete slab provide thermal mass to store solar heat gain and moderate temperature swings in summer.

Interior finishes and light give life to the library. High clerestory windows provide ample daylight while ventilating and cooling. Exposed wood trusses & ceilings combined with earthen plaster and vibrant colors give the building warmth. An open plan creates a spacious interior with good sight lines enabling the building to be staffed by only one employee.

06/08/2021

In , buildings must fit into a spectacular and specific landscape.

“Elsewhere the sky is the roof of the world; but here the earth was the floor of the sky,” wrote Willa Cather. This summer, we’ll be taking a few road trips to explore Autotroph buildings in remoter regions of NM.

The drive out West to is breathtaking. Freight trains and red rock cliffs lead the way into town, a crossroads of art and culture. Gallup is surrounded by the Navajo Nation, Pueblo of Zuni, and the Hopi Reservation, exquisite Indian textiles and silverwork are exhibited along Main Street - Route 66.

We are proud our Chuska Apartment Development serves the Gallup community well. Named for the nearby Chuska Mountains, this 30-unit affordable housing project emulates a traditional village. The buildings of Chuska form communal courtyards, balancing privacy with shared spaces.

Chuska Apartments feature (central to all our work!) - is achieved through day-lighting and passive and active heating.