First Plaza Galleria

By Edith Cherry and James See – August 28, 2019

20 First Plaza Center NW (200 Third St. NW),  Albuquerque, NM  87102

Access:  Business hours

Designed by famous Chicago architect, Harry Weese, in a “u” shape, this building at the eastern edge of downtown Albuquerque opens its plaza to a view of the Sandia Mountains. The east-facing plaza is an urban park with fountain, trees, and seating. The façade features precast concrete components in a variety of combinations that address the different sun conditions on each orientation. For example, the west façade is shielded from the west sun (or, it was, prior to the construction of the building to the west) with angled pre-cast panels.

The major entrances to the building are on the west corners and are marked by setting back the floors to provide more volume to the entries. Each entry has its own elevator bank. The northwest entry is slightly more imposing than the southwest entry since it opens to the Civic Plaza. A below-grade arcade connects both entries and also provides access to the city parking garage below Civic Plaza.

Completed:  1972
Architect:  Harry Weese
Associate Architect:  Harvey Hoshour
Contractor:  seeking info*

Learn More:
2010   Bruegmann, Robert,  The Architecture of Harry Weese.  W. W. Norton & Co., NY.

8/28/19