Territorial Revival architecture describes the style ofarchitecture developed in the U.S. state ofNew Mexico in the 1930s. It derived fromNew Mexico vernacularTerritorial Style, an original style fromSanta Fe de Nuevo México following the founding ofAlbuquerque in 1706. Territorial Revival incorporated elements of traditionalSpanish Folk Territorial building techniques withrevival style elements. The style was intended to recall the Territorial Style and was extensively employed for New Mexico state government buildings inSanta Fe.
The term Territorial architecture describes a variety of architectural features and regional styles in use duringNew Spain,Mexico, andAmerican territorial period, from about 1706 until 1912. The revival began during the post-1846 timeframe whenGreco-Roman andGothic elements were being incorporated into theSpanish folk carpentry andPueblo architecture.[1] The style was encouraged by a State Planning Board proclamation of 1934, which advocated the redesign of the state capitol in "the local Santa Fe type of architecture."[2] ArchitectJohn Gaw Meem, a leading proponent of the relatedPueblo Revival architectural movement, is considered to be the initiator of Territorial Revival architecture.[3][4]
Territorial architecture was defined by the incorporation of elements fromclassical architecture—pediments, columns copings—into buildings, and the folk carpentry of theHispanos of New Mexico, and made use of regional architectural elements and materials such as flat roofs,adobe bricks, and wooden porch posts. These were most widely seen inOld Town Albuquerque, which combined the Hispanic and Pueblo style architectural techniques from the surrounding communities ofBarelas,Sandia Pueblo,Corrales,Isleta Pueblo,Bernalillo, andSanta Ana Pueblo.
In Territorial Revival architecture, these elements were applied to much larger buildings, such as theNew Mexico Capitol Complex, than those that existed during the territorial period. The style was also increasingly adapted to domestic architecture—typically residences of one story—in northern New Mexico, especially in the vicinity ofSanta Fe andAlbuquerque. Territorial Revival doors and windows sometimes featured lintels withpediments or decorative trim reminiscent ofGreek Revival architecture,[5]Gothic Revival architecture, and other classical revival styles. Other distinguishing features of the style are the use ofadobe construction, low, flat roofs with a sharp brick edging, white-washed milled lumber columns, andsash windows with mullions.[6]
Territorial Revival was developed in response to the increasing popularity of the Spanish-Pueblo Revival style, with which it shares many features and materials. Architect John Gaw Meem began to design homes in what he referred to as 'territorial' style in response to requests from clients, some of whom desired residences with cleaner, more conventional lines and symmetrical masses than were customary of his Pueblo Revival buildings. Meem's client Mrs. Robert Tilney specifically requested that the architect eschew many of customary Pueblo Revival elements for her 1929 house, saying that she wanted "nothing heavy or Indian", "as little Mexican as possible", and that "the interior of the house beAmerican Colonial in spirit." So Meem took the liberty of blending the Spanish-Pueblo stylings reminiscent of Albuquerque's Old Town, which used the then conventional simpler stylings, into a building technique that simplified the "Indian" and "Mexican" forms into a minimalist style, so as to maintain the regional aesthetic.[4] During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Territorial Revival was sometimes preferred to Pueblo Revival, principally because its relative simplicity and symmetry resulted in lower building costs.[4]
The Territorial Revival style is primarily confined to New Mexico, and continues to be popular into the 21st century, particularly for commercial and government buildings, small offices, residences, andstrip malls.
