T'siya Elementary and Middle School
Pueblo of Zia, N.Mex.
Dekker/Perich/Sabatini

A school for Native Americans embodies tradition and culture in the design

© Paul Kohlman

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Located one mile north of the Pueblo of Zia, this school is a Pueblo gathering spot, a warm setting where elders teach Zia traditions, a brightly colored space where ancient culture coexists with modern technology. It replaces the Pueblo’s outdated, overcrowded K-6 school accommodating 156 students through grade 8. As the largest building on the Pueblo, it responds to both the practical and spiritual needs of this vibrant community by accommodating a variety of gathering venues.

The heart of the design is a circular plaza that echoes the Pueblo’s main plaza and divides the building into elementary and middle school areas. Oriented toward the revered Sandia Peak, the plaza can be used for traditional ceremonial dances, gatherings, weddings, and outdoor classes. A secondary outdoor plaza brings light into the classroom corridor and acts as a staging area for the main plaza during tribal events.

This complex is unique. Unlike more conventional schools, where the building defines a space for learning, the school itself is a teaching tool. The plaza is paved with the colors that traditionally represent the four points of the compass and features two towers that provide a dramatic focal point. At sunrise on the solstices, the dagger of light that falls between the towers aligns with one of two markers on the curved wall circling the plaza. Like their ancient ancestors, Zia children can study the changing of the seasons through the progress of the sun.

In addition to classrooms, the school includes a library, offices, and gym and is fitted with an integrated fiber-optic computer network. Countless visual allusions to the decor of Pueblo buildings and Zia pottery motifs indicate that this is reverential and meaningful place, designed to embrace the Zia people.

Formal name of Project:
T'siya Elementary and Middle School

Location:
Pueblo of Zia, N.Mex.

Gross square footage:
44,425 sq ft

Total construction cost:
$5.036 million

Owner:
Pueblo of Zia

Architect:
Dekker/Perich/Sabatini
6801 Jefferson NE, Suite 100
Albuquerque, NM 87109
Phone: 505.761.9700
Fax: 505.761.4222