The Thesis:
Some Background:
Arroyos are water drainage channels found in sloped desert terrains, primarily dry but occasionally wet, particularly during the monsoon season. They are integral to the Southwestern US's desert dry wash biome. Positioned between the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande, Albuquerque's arroyos are woven into the city's fabric and play a crucial role in replenishing its aquifer, essential in the desert's finite water environment.
However, urban development has covered the landscape with impermeable materials, extending into arroyos and leading to their channelization. This process has exacerbated danger during heavy rainstorms, creating a feedback loop of fear among the public, driving further control efforts. Additionally, channelization and impervious surfaces further separate us from the land and hinder our engagement with the environment's infrastructure.
In reality, our concern should extend beyond the built environment's scale to understand the profound impacts beneath the surface. Our detachment from local ecological knowledge impedes meaningful dialogue with the environment, while the fetishization of commodities exacerbates our disconnect from local environments, undermining principles of reciprocity, gratitude, placemaking, and environmental stewardship.
This Archive and its Purpose:
The experiential archive encourages people to explore the arroyos, fostering a deeper connection with these spaces. It prompts collaborators to observe and document aspects that may have been previously overlooked, creating a pool of data rooted in personal experiences and rich with emotion. This archive is an integral part of a broader system dedicated to archiving personal experiences within the arroyos. It is a collaborative effort, welcoming contributions from a diverse community of voices. I invite readers to traverse the arroyos and share their observations here.
What captures your attention? What do you imagine? Do you experience any emotional responses to the immediate environment? Whatever you encounter, I encourage you to document it through writing, drawing, photography, and more.