Los Abuelos at the Biosphere in Zapotitlan, Puebla.

Pilgrimage

It was Tara's idea to walk the camino in the first place.  I couldn't help but add a second part to include horses and the rocky mountains.  Anybody wish to join part or all of this adventure?




"Please join me in congratulating Master of Architecture student Darby Prendergast for winning the Schoeman Traveling Fellowship for Architecture.  Darby’s proposal involved taking two pilgrimages — one from Lisbon Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain; and the second one from Crawford, Colorado to Chimayo, New Mexico.  

The review committee consisted of Geraldine Forbes Isais, Dean of the school, and Karen King, Associate Director of Architecture."

Proposal: Schoeman Travel Fellowship

Darby Prendergast, M.Arch/MLA

Statement of Intent

Architecture can be understood as the act of making place through imagining and shaping space. I am proposing to explore this notion through completing two pilgrimages: the Camino de Santiago, which crosses the Iberian Peninsula, and across the Rocky Mountains from Western Colorado to Chimayo, New Mexico. As an aspiring architect, I believe that understanding place is foundational to meaningful design. I also know where I intend to be a designer: the Rocky Mountain West.   Completing the established pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago and then embarking on a journey across the Rocky Mountains will help me develop a lens through which to gain a deeper understanding of place; it will inform my future as an architect.   

For more than 1,000 years the “Camino” has been a pilgrimage that starts in multiple points across Europe and ends at the cathedral of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I will walk the Portuguese route, which starts in Lisbon and runs north along the coast of Portugal. This route crosses ancient Roman roads and bridges and passes by several UNESCO world heritage sites as well as 12^th century monasteries. I have never been to Europe and know that it is a rich architectural landscape that is important for me to explore as I evolve as a designer.  The pilgrimage offers a rich study. The pace and perspective of moving on foot enables heightened observation and a sensory experience of place.

The Camino will establish a framework for the second part of my journey, which involves applying honed observational skills to the study of my own place. Here I will ride a horse from my family ranch in Crawford, Colorado to Chimayo, New Mexico. This route is the same distance as the Camino (350 miles) and also ends in a centuries old point of pilgrimage. It will take me through some of the wildest and most well-protected areas of pristine wilderness in the world. Wilderness is the treasure of the Rocky Mountains. Passing through these wild places will give me the opportunity to contemplate how architecture can be informed by and honor the heart of this landscape.

Research Methodology

These pilgrimages are fundamentally about developing moral sensibilities and observational skills. My research is a comparative analysis of landscape. I expect to find significant differences between each pilgrimage; the juxtaposition will inspire creativity and reflection. My research methodology involves traveling slowly and recording the sensory experience of place. I will use the Grinnel Journal method for recording my observations. This method provides a template for collecting objective field notes and sketches throughout each day and then compiling them into a formal layout each evening. In addition to keeping a detailed journal, I will also bring a Canon EOS Rebel DSLR for photography and a Garmin eTrex 20x GPS for way finding. I will thus be able to present compelling photographs, drawings, journal entries and maps.

Itinerary

Camino de Santiago: June, 2017

Lisbon, Portugal à Santiago de Compostela, Spain (see map for route)

                  Distance: 350 Miles/12 miles per day = 30 days

Highlight Sites: projects by Alvaro Siza in Lisbon and Porto, Quinta da Cardiga historic manor house, historic city of Tomar, University of Coimbra (UNESCO World Heritage Site), ancient roman road Via Romana XVI, Matriz de São Miguel Church, historic city of Porto (UNESCO World Heritage Site), 12^th century Mosteiro de Leca do Balio Monastery, Dom Zameiro bridge, Chapel of Santa de Franqueira, historic town and 12^th century cathedral of Tui, Chapel of Santiaguiño de Antas, bridge of Sampaio, 13^th century chapel of Santa Maria, historic city of Pontevedra, castle of A Rocha Vella, Santiago de Compostela (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Chimayo: July, 2017 

Crawford, Colorado à Chimayo, New Mexico (see map for route)

Distance: 350 miles/16 miles per day = 22 days

Highlight Sites: West Elk Wilderness, Powderhorn Wilderness, La Garita Wilderness, Weminuche Wilderness, South San Juan Wilderness, Chimayo

Budget

Camino de Santiago:

Airfare- $1,200

                  Lodging- $15/night x 30 nights = $450

                  Food- $15/day x 30 days = $450

Equipment- $400

                  Train/Bus (return to Lisbon) = $100

                  Total = $2,600

Chimayo:

                  I own the horses and necessary equipment required for this trip.

                  Food- $20/day x 20 days = $400

                  Horseshoes- $75/horse x 2 horses = $150

                  Tack Maintenance = $150

                  Trailer (return to Crawford)- $1/mile/horse = $350 x 2 horses = $750

                  Total = $1,450

Grand Total= $4,050