HIGHLAND ADOBE

 

ABOUT *

 
 
 
 

Surrounded by prickly pears, palo verde trees, and desert grasses, Highland Adobe is a retreat and creative residency in the heart of Marfa, Texas. The space has been designed with tranquility, comfort, and inspiration in mind. Located in the very center of town, the adobe is walking distance to all of Marfa’s incredible restaurants, shops, galleries, and event spaces while still maintaining privacy and serenity. Above all, Highland Adobe hopes to serve as a place that pays respect to the history and ecology of the Chihuahuan Desert, as well as the people who have called this landscape home for thousands of years.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Image from the Marfa Public Library

 

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ADOBE ↓

Adobe plays an important cultural and spiritual role for Indigenous, Mexican, and Mexican-American Peoples of what is now the American Southwest and The Chihuahuan Desert region of Far West Texas and North Eastern Mexico. Marfa’s earliest residents built its original adobe structures from the organic earthen materials they were most familiar with: water, straw, and clay soil dug directly from the earth surrounding these homes. This mixture is formed into mounds or blocks that are left to dry and cure in the desert sun. Adobe is one of the most sustainable, thermodynamic, acoustically efficient, and durable building materials in the world, which is why adobe buildings account for some of the oldest existing structures on earth. Walking around Marfa today, many of these original adobe buildings still exist and belong to the same families who built them. Some have been restored or completely remodeled, while some have been left as crumbling reminders of the Indigenous, Mexican, and Mexican-American families who quite literally created Marfa’s very foundations. These structures are historically significant and tell the story of Marfa.

 
 
 
 

A LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMED ↓

Like many of Marfa’s original adobe structures, Highland Adobe and the land surrounding it have a long and storied history. The landscape here tells the story of resilience both ecologically and anthropologically. Towards the end of the Ice Age, this region had a much wetter, cooler climate and the surrounding hillsides were densely forested. After the last glacial episode, woodlands gave way to evolved plant communities in the new arid desert environment.

This changing climate caused a massive decline in the number of bison that once grazed throughout the Big Beng region, and the Indigenous communities who have been recorded living in this region since 15,000 years ago also adapted by developing a hunting and gathering lifestyle that remained for 7,500 years. The Big Bend region is the landscape of the Chisos, the Mescalero Apache, and Jumano Nations.

Many people falsely believe that deserts represent the idea of nothingness, but the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem is one of the of the three most biologically diverse deserts in the entire world, with over a thousand species of plants and animals that have adapted over thousands and thousands of years to thrive here and only here. While exploring the Big Bend region today, we are participating in history that goes back thousands and thousands of years. Having a deeper understanding of pre-existing cultures, ecology, and history is important to broadening our experiences while working to support the ongoing health of the ecosystem in this beautiful place.

In 1883, a town was established as a railroad water stop for multiple Texas railways. It’s said that the wife of a railroad executive suggested they name the town Marfa after a character in Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, which she was reading at the time. The name stuck. Because of its importance as a railroad stop, Marfa’s population continued to flourish into the 1930’s and during WWII, an advanced flight-training base was built ten miles east of the town.

 

Image from the El Paso Public Library

 
 
 
 
 

THE JUDD YEARS ↓

In the 1970’s, artist Donald Judd wanted to escape the chaos of the art scene in New York City that he was a part of. He was particularly drawn to West Texas because “there were few people and the land was undamaged.” He fell in love with the stark minimalism of the Marfa plateau, and with the landscape continuing to leave an impression on him, he moved to Marfa permanently and set up a studio. With the help of the DIA Foundation, Judd purchased an old army base and used it to house his own works, as well as the works of many of his friends including Dan Flavin and John Chamberlain. This is now the location of the Chinati Foundation. Judd’s legacy helped to put Marfa on the map as a global art destination that remains today.

 
 
 
 

THE EVOLUTION OF A HOUSE ↓

Originally constructed from adobe in the early 1900’s, according to historical documents and records, Highland Adobe once served as a beauty shop and later was a lawyer’s office.

In 2004, legendary interior designer Barbara Hill took on an extensive renovation of the adobe, removing all of the interior walls, opening up the roof, and installing steel beams to reinforce the structural integrity of the adobe while expanding the possibilities of the space itself.

Hill's work was featured in the book Marfa Modern, as well as covered in GQ and the New York Times. Since that initial renovation, it’s passed through the hands of several loving owners as a place to retreat.

 

Image from Remodelista

 
 
 
 
 

HIGHLAND ADOBE TODAY ↓

After living in various high and low deserts over the years, and spending most of my free time out on the open road, I fell deeply in love with the wonder of Far West Texas. Eventually, it became more apparent that this landscape was quickly imprinting itself inside my heart and it became harder and harder to leave. Utilizing my background in research, interdisciplinary design, anthropology, and photography, the interior space has been meticulously redesigned while paying homage to its roots and spirit. I created Highland Adobe with the intention to share the magic and history of the Chihuahuan Desert with travelers to and from Marfa, to support creatives and their work through a residency program, and to give as much as I can back to the landscape and the local community. I'm honored to share this sanctuary and hope you'll pay a visit to enjoy the splendor and history of this incredible region! -Wendy