Project
Route 66 Museum and Visitor Center
Nomination
Best Architectural Project by a Student
About the project
Weathered steel, concrete, and glass set the stage for a vision of the Route 66 Museum in Los Lunas’ Historic District. The nearby acequia, in correlation with The Luna Mansion, root the site and its existing structure in the history of the locale—halfway between the Rio Grande and the El Camino Real. The building’s form hugs the rear of the site to frame a plaza and the historic structure which invite visitors and community members to experience this new essence of place. As the sun sets over the mesas to the west, this central plaza begins to glow through large translucent pave stones illuminated from the underground parking space below.
Inside the museum, expansive galleries on the upper level allow for a multitude of function through the use of movable wall surfaces. Projections on ceiling-mounted surfaces display the history of Route 66 through the village of Los Lunas, serve as a non-traditional approach to curating history. Along the perimeter, floor-to-ceiling glazing brings
Location
211 Main St SW Los Lunas, NM 87031 United States
Year
2019
Applicant and author of the project
Currently a M.Arch student at The University of New Mexico, Nicholas Romero has been an active member of the university's AIAS chapter for over the past four years. On the local level, he serves as the Chapter President. Professionally, Nicholas work at Albuquerque Public School as a construction administration intern helping to orchestrate the construction process with the help of our staff architect and construction manager.