Photo: Catherine Harris

Catherine Harris

  • Chair + Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture
  • /


    Education

    • MFA, Stanford University
    • MLA, University of California, Berkeley

    Research

    • Post-human Studies
    • Trans-species Studies
    • Virtual Reality in Landscape Architecture

    Harris Visual Portfolio

    Catherine Page Harris, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at University of New Mexico in the School of Architecture & Planning. BA, Harvard University, 1988, MLA, UC Berkeley, 1997, and MFA, Stanford University, 2005. Harris’ community design experience includes “The Sharing Shelves” a multi-year collaboration with the International District Healthy Communities Committee, Michaele Pride, and students, to create an artifact for community conversations. Harris co-taught the DPAC design studio for two years and has collaborated with communities through art and design for fifteen. Founder of the Indigenous Design Studio in Landscape Architecture at UNM with the Indigenous Design + Planning Institute. Recent projects include Poured Earth Collective with architect Charlie O’Geen, developing projects involved in creating structure from site, the sharing shelves, a creative placemaking project in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the Red Water Pond Road Community Peace Center, an NEA ArtWorks funded project to create a space to memorialize the impacts of legacy mining on indigenous land, and sharing a drink, observing humans and non-humans share water. Trans-species Repast–sharing meals with animals – an exploration of hierarchy, resources and landscape– was shown in 2016 at the Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, and UNM Art Museum, in 2015 at the Land Shape Festival in Hanstholm, DK, and Marble House Project, Dorset, VT and the Wignall Museum, CA, in 2014. Current research includes listening to indigenous landscape, developing 3D imaging of botanical resilience, and proposing urban posthuman places. Pedagogical foci include indigeneity, designing for climate change, social equity, and resilience.


    LA 503: Resilient design and systems in landscape architecture, currently focusing on resilient communities in the arid southwest.

    LA 563: Contemporary Theory in Landscape Architecture,

    ARTS 141: Intro to Art & Ecology


    “Hypnagogia” in Fieldwork, Paula Horrigan and Thomas Oles, eds and authors, Routledge, 2024

    “The problem is the burning house,” Chapter in Transpecies Design, Adrian Parr and Liska Chan, Eds., Routledge, 2024
    co-author, “Design with Dignity: UNM DPAC” Conference Proceedings, Cosmopolitan Architect, ACSA Teaching Conference, 2023, Reykjavik

    “Fabric Formed Unstabilized Poured Earth: Four-Dimensional Wall Systems” Technology|Architecture + Design: Tectonics, Charlie O’Geen and Catherine Page Harris, Pages 109-119 | Published online: 01 Jun 2023

    “Poured earth formwork: limiting transportation by using fabric and temporary staging as permanent structure” Earth USA 2022, conference proceedings, Charlie O’Geen and Catherine Page Harris

    “Poured Earth Formwork: Using Fabric to Eliminate Portland Cement” ARCC Miami conference proceedings, 2022, Charlie O’Geen and Catherine Page Harris

    “Teaching students to think by creating” Green Fire Times, September, 2017

    Landscape Research Record No. 2, Morphogenesis in the Landscape 2014

    Media-N, trans-species habitat essay 2013

    Between Ecological Art & Design, Infrastructural Intervention, Arid Journal 2013

    Dipodomys merriami:Desert Rat, Arid Journal 2012

    Trans-species Habitat: ISEA Machine Wilderness Catalog essay 2012

    Survival Kit Collective: (Joy Elaine Denett, Nina Dubois, Catherine Harris, Ryan Henel )Arcosantian economics, Biospherian aesthetics, Journal of Aesthetics and Protest, Marc Herbst, ed, 2010-2011

    Walking and the Artist Residency or the 21st Century Flaneur, CELA 2009

    The Many Challenges of Dining with Animals, Matthew Irwin, 10/8/2015

    Exhibition’s meals between animals and humans challenges assumption that we stand atop hierarchy of life, Jackie Jadrnak, Albuquerque Journal North, 10/2/2015

    "Art & Ecology, Exploring the origin of Food through art, Edible Santa Fe, 2015

    Landscape Research Record No. 2, Morphogenesis in the Landscape 2014

    "Media-N," trans-species habitat essay 2013

    "Between Ecological Art & Design, Infrastructural Intervention," Arid Journal 2013

    "Dipodomys merriami: Desert Rat," Arid Journal 2012

    "Trans-species Habitat" ISEA Machine Wilderness Catalog essay 2012

    Walking and the Artist Residency or the 21st Century Flaneur, CELA 2009

    "Five Stories, a life in art," thesis for Master of Fine Arts 2005

    "Chris Grubbs, Illustrator," in Landscape Architecture Magazine 2001

    "Dirt on Broadway", thesis for Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture 1997

    Sylvan Delta, published by left hand books, NY 1993

    Scholarship & Presentations

    Trans Species Landscapes: Sentient Worlds, CELA 2025 Portland, OR

    Trans Species Landscapes: 3D printing, fungi and pots, CELA 2025, Portland, OR

    But how could we know if it is what they want? Designing for Animals in the Post-Anthropocene, Biophilia: Designing

    For Animals, Ecology + Design Center Symposium, Penn State University, March 2025

    Design for Dignity: DPAC UNM, ACSA Teachers Conference, Cosmopolitan Architect, Reykjavik, Iceland, Summer 2023

    Recent work, Transpecies Design Symposium, European Cultural Center, Future Cities; Livable Futures Venice, Italy, Spring 2023

    “Poured earth formwork: limiting transportation by using fabric and temporary staging as permanent structure” Earth USA, Santa Fe, NM, 2022,

    “Fabric Formed Poured Earth and Terroir” CELA, Bernalillo, NM 2022

    Indigenous Design Studio at UNM, CELA, Bernalillo, NM 2022

    “Poured Earth Formwork: Using Fabric to Eliminate Portland Cement” ARCC Miami, 2022

    “Indigenous Design and Climate Change” EcoFest CUNY, NY 2021

    “Variance Line” Ecological Society of America, 2020

    ASLA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Webinar Series: presented in National ASLA webinar presentation: Decentering the

    Eurocentric Design Process: Indigenous Landscape Architecture at the University of New Mexico (2020.12.11)

    creative placemaking 4 activism” with Michaele Pride and Katya Crawford, Interview KUNM, University Showcase, May 2018

    condensate mesh’ ArtPark21, Open Space, ABQ, 2018, KOAT interview

    Red Water Pond Road Community sharing a drink’ Creative Mornings, Santa Fe, NM 2016

    rans-species Repast: Current work, SEED Talks, Marble House Project, VT, 2015

    Trans-species Repast: Family Dinner, LandShape Symposium, Hanstholm, DK, 2015

    Trans-species Repast: Eating the Landscape, HEAD, Geneva Switzerland. 2015

    Algaeic Infrastructure: Morphogenesis, Balloon Museum, Albuquerque, NM 2015

    Morphogenesis in the Landscape: Algaeic Infrastructure, Council of Educators in LA, 2014

    Pechakucha ABQ, Algaeic Infrastructure, 2013

    Pechakucha ABQ, Something Small: trans-species habitat 2013

    Current Work, ISEA Machine Wilderness, individual presentation 2012

    Trans-species Habitat, ISEA Machine Wilderness, sub theme address 2012

    Landscape in Motion, for Landscape and Culture Panel, curated by Kelly Wacker, SECAC 2011

    Art and Landscape, Celebrando, Arid Land Institute, 2011

    ANABATs, Water and Other projects: collaborations with Mammologists, Hydrologists and other daVincian pursuits, at Curiouser: SECAC, 2010

    Current Work: Dipodomys merramii, SEV LTER, 2010

    Borders, lines and ecological disturbances at cultural edges: Department of Geography, UNM, 2010

     


    Navajo, NM, Red Lake Chapter, Navajo Nation, 2015

    Town ScenariosRed Water Pond Road Community, Navajo Nation, 2017

    Resilient Community Green School Board, 2014

    Cien Aguas International School, Albuquerque, NM Coors and Montano: Community Performance Space, Taylor Ranch Neighborhood Association, 2015

    Interim Uses Alvarado and Eastern, Cien Aguas International School, 2014

    Proforma and Development plan, Cien Aguas International School, 2014

    Coors and Montano: Bosque Interwoven Community, Taylor Ranch Neighborhood Association, 2012


    Funded Residency, Marble House Project, Dorset, Vermont 2015

    CFA Research Grant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 2015

    Barrett Honors Thesis External Reviewer, Arizona State University,Herberger Inst. Tempe, AZ, 2015

    Wallenberg Studio Reviewer, University of Michigan, School of Architecture, Ann Arbor, MI, 2013

    Frontier Fellow Epicenter, Green River, UT 2013

    Research Development Grant, with Michaele Pride (PI) and others UNM School of Architecture and Planning, Albuquerque, NM, 2012

    CFA Research Grant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 2011

    PLAND residency with Topo- graphia Collective, PLAND, Tres Piedres, NM, 2010-2011

    Arts and Humanities at the LTER, Andrews Experimental Forest, FR 130, Oregon, 2010

    Arts and Humanities at the LTER, Workgroup, Estes Park, CO, 2010
    Interdisciplinary Research Grant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 2010

    Foodshed Field School, Bruce Milne (PI) and others, USDA,Albuquerque, NM, 2010-2012

    CFA Seed Grant, College of Fine Arts, University of New Mexico $4,000 Albuquerque, NM, 2010

    CFA Research Grant, College of Fine Arts, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 2009

    Murphy Cadogan Award, San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco, CA 2004

    Funded Residency, Center for Land Use Interpretation, Wendover, UT 2003

    Full Fellowship Recipient, Vermont Studio Center,Johnson,VT 2003

    Shows and exhibitions

    Trans-species Repast, UNM Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM 2016

    Trans-species Repast, Landmark, Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM 2015

    Trans-species Repast, LandShape, LandShape Symposium, North Jutland, DK 2015

    Algaeic Infrastructure, Transport, Albuquerque Balloon Museum, Albuquerque, NM 2015

    Trans-species Repast, Home ECOnomics, Wignall Museum, Rancho Cucamunga, CA 2014

    Algaeic Infrastructure, High Desert Test Site, Montessa Park, Albuquerque, NM, 2013

    Reflection, The Artists’ View, Santa Fe Art Institute, Santa Fe, NM 2013
    At the Same Table, The Artists’ View, Highland University Art Gallery, Las Vegas, NM 2013

    Waterline, Storefront Lab, Deep Craft, San Francisco, CA 2012
    Circumnavigation, Transformative Surfaces, UNM Art Museum Albuquerque, NM 2012

    Eden Again, ISEA Machine Wilderness, Downtown Action Team Space, Albuquerque, NM 2012

    Maquette, Seed Table, Matters Show,The Bakery Collective, Los Angeles, CA 2011

    Dipodemys merramai, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro, NM 2011