The University of New Mexico
School of Architecture and Planning

MSC 04-2530
George Pearl Hall
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

Place

Albuquerque

The Middle Rio Grande valley of New Mexico, home to the city of Albuquerque, is an exciting and diverse place.

Constant geographic upheaval, erosion, and volcanic activity have helped set the stage for some of the oldest settlements in the United States; New Mexico has been continuously inhabited for at least the last 10,000 years.  There are 17 Indian Pueblos in the state, and the Spanish cultural influence remains strongly evident in everything from the local architecture to cultural traditions. 

There is also stunning variety and splendor in the local landscapes.  Albuquerque itself is set in a beautiful river rift valley at the base of the Sandia Mountains, home of the Sandia Peak ski area and the world’s longest aerial tram. To the west reside the remnants of five cinder cone volcanoes in what is now the Petroglyph National Monument.  The Rio Grande winds through the middle of the city, lined on both sides by a beautiful cottonwood bosque that contains miles of hiking and biking trails.


With 310 days of sunshine a year and a mild, high-desert climate, there is no reason not to get out and enjoy all the natural beauty the city has to offer.

The UNM campus is home to about 27,000 graduate and undergraduate students in a variety of disciplines.  Although there are a number of dormitories on campus, most of the student population lives off campus, as there are many affordable options nearby.  Options that are further away can access the school via Albuquerque’s transit system which includes the Rapid Ride—a high frequency, fast bus system along some of the city’s main arterial roads.  Santa Fe, as well as other destinations along the middle Rio Grande valley can be reached via the Road Runner train system.

Albuquerque has quite an active nightlife, suitable for a city of 500,000.  Two main districts, Nob Hill and Downtown, are the hubs of evening entertainment in the region. These areas, within a very short distance from the UNM campus, are home to a number of restaurants, bars and nightclubs. With over 270 galleries and thousands of artists, Albuquerque has a very robust artistic scene.  The performing arts here are multicultural, with Hispanic, and Native American productions as well as international works of theater, symphony, and dance and other performing arts.  This scene is multiplied with a short trip north to Santa Fe—the cultural Mecca of the southwest.

A more complete list of information on cultural events and the region can be obtained from the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau website: http://www.itsatrip.org/. Current listings appear in the Friday addition of the local paper, theAlbuquerque Journal, as well as in the Alibi (www.alibi.com) and iQ (http://www.local-iq.com/) magazines.