Vigas  Round logs used as ceiling beams, either shaved or raw.
Zaguan   Covered entrance between the outside and an enclosed patio


Other Things You Hear In Santa Fe

Traditional Pueblo houses have many of these features:

• Massive, round-edged walls made with adobe
• Flat roof with no overhang
• Stepped levels
• Rounded parapet
• Spouts in the parapet to direct rainwater
• Vigas (heavy timbers) extending through walls which serve as main roof support beams
• Latillas (poles) placed above vigas in angled pattern
• Deep window and door openings
• Simple windows
• Beehive corner fireplace
• Bancos (benches) that protrude from walls
• Nichos (niches) carved out of wall for display of religious icons
• Brick, wood, or flagstone floors

Due to Spanish influence, Pueblo Revival houses often have:

• Porches held up with zapatas (posts)
• Enclosed patios
• Heavy wooden doors
• Elaborate corbels

About the Pueblo Style Since ancient times, Pueblo Indians built large, multi-family houses, which the Spanish called pueblos (villages). In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Spanish made their own Pueblo homes, but they adapted the style. They formed the adobe into sun-dried building blocks. After stacking the blocks, the Spaniards covered them with protective layers of mud.

Pueblo Revival houses became popular in the early 1900s and are still a popular style in the southwestern regions of the United States. These modern-day Pueblos might not be made of adobe. Instead, some contemporary adobe homes are made with concrete blocks or other materials covered with adobe, stucco, plaster, or mortar.

There are several variations on traditional Pueblo architecture:

• Pueblo Deco. Combining Pueblo Revival with Art Deco architecture, these homes are decorated with geometric patterns and Native American designs.
• Santa Fe Style. This type of Pueblo became the standard in New Mexico after it was defined by the Santa Fe Historic Zoning Ordinance of 1957.
• Contemporary Pueblo. These are stripped down, unornamented Pueblos without posts, beams, or vigas.
• Territorial Pueblo.  With the coming of Americans to New Mexico, architectural elements such as pitched roofs, square corners, window and door openings are cased with wood moldings.  Simplified 19th century architectural styles made out of wood were incorporated.