Remembering Antoine Predock, World-Renowned Architect
March 4, 2024
We at the University of New Mexico School of Architecture + Planning (SA+P) are deeply saddened by the passing of alumnus, supporter, and dear friend Antoine Predock. Antoine’s passion for architecture has left an indelible mark on the built environment, and his dedication to supporting students and professionals richly impacted the architectural community of our state.
Born in Lebanon, Missouri in 1936, Predock first came to New Mexico to study engineering at UNM, but after taking a technical drawing course with architecture professor Don Schlegel, he discovered a talent and enthusiasm for architecture. This change in his trajectory would eventually lead to dozens of ground-breaking architectural projects and international acclaim. Though he transferred to Columbia University to complete his degree, Predock returned to Albuquerque in 1967 to establish his professional practice and maintained a strong presence in the state until his passing. He often referred to New Mexico as his spiritual home and his work was greatly influenced by the state’s natural forces.
Predock’s first major work, the Westside townhouse community of La Luz del Oeste (1967-1974), was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2023. Other notable projects include the Rio Grande Nature Center, Nelson Fine Arts Center at Arizona State University, San Diego Padres Ballpark, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He received many accolades throughout his career including the Rome Prize in Design in 1985, the AIA Gold Medal in 2006, the National Design Award in 2007, and an Honorary Degree from UNM in 2001.
In 2000, his firm was selected to design SA+P’s new home, George Pearl Hall, which was completed in 2008. The building’s singular design draws from the natural environment of New Mexico and fosters transparency, collaboration, and innovation among students and instructors. In 2017, Predock donated his downtown Albuquerque home and studio to SA+P, which is now established as the Predock Center for Design and Research. Its goal is to support student and faculty research in the allied fields of architecture, landscape architecture, and community and regional planning.
SA+P Dean Robert Alexander González notes: “Predock was an architect of national stature who could have practiced anywhere in the world, but his strong regional roots kept him in New Mexico.”
We are honored to be surrounded by Antoine Predock’s legacy and to work to carry on his spirit of inventiveness and curiosity. Predock’s life and work serve as a shining example to all of our students of what is possible in an architectural career, and his incredible passion for architecture, design, and New Mexico will be dearly missed.
