Formative Architecture

From design to ribbon cutting. The Formative team was excited to celebrate the opening of 1st St Arts Space, designed in collaboration with Wes Lansford for the City of Albuquerque and 516 ARTS and constructed by Weil Construction.

The renovated Indoor Pavilion at the Curry County Fairgrounds is officially finished and ready to welcome the community. With a reimagined event hall, upgraded support spaces, and new opportunities to gather both inside and out, this refreshed facility provides a renewed space for community gathering. Make sure to check out the before and after shots to see the transformation!

Photography: Patrick Coulie Photography

This near-complete renovation for the City of Albuquerque reimagines a former Downtown warehouse into a vibrant arts and community hub along the future Rail Trail. These construction progress photos highlight how the design blends preservation of its more recent past -including murals from its time as Warehouse 508 - with elements from the building’s earlier history as an ice storage facility. We’re excited to share more of the finished space soon.

Every project is an opportunity to do things thoughtfully, our own office space included.

📸: Patrick Coulie Photography

We are looking to expand our team at Formative Architecture! We’re currently looking for a Project Manager and a Revit Coordinator / Project Designer to join our team. If you’re interested, or know someone who might be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you. Visit the link for full job postings: https://www.formativearchitecture.com/careers

A material that we return to again and again: beetle kill pine. Sustainable, durable, and naturally beautiful, it’s a material that proves thoughtful design can also be resourceful.
Swipe through to see how we’ve incorporated it across multiple Formative Architecture projects.

📸: Patrick Coulie Photography (Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, BernCo Recovery Support Center)
📸: mattophoto architectural photography (CDEC New Headquarters Campus)

We are very excited to be working with Weddle Gilmore Architects and US Fish & Wildlife on improvements at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. One part of the campus redesign is a bunkhouse and volunteer lounge, designed to support both visiting volunteers and on-site staff. This building creates spaces to gather, recharge, and connect to the landscape. Thoughtful details like rainwater catchment, shaded outdoor areas, and private patios help make the most of time spent in this space!

Here is a look back at the San Juan Soil & Water Conservation District Headquarters, completed in 2021.Perched on a mesa with sweeping views, this 5-acre campus was designed to support SJSWCD’s mission of protecting and responsibly managing New Mexico’s natural resources. Sustainability guided the overall design, from daylighting and water harvesting to healthy outdoor spaces.

A favorite detail of ours: an old oil field tank repurposed as a rainwater cistern, with reclaimed drill pipe forming the canopy, tying the region’s history to a more sustainable future.
Photography: Patrick Coulie Photography