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Earth and Sky

Unique Rammed-Earth, Terra Cotta Outdoor Seating Area

The rear exterior of the Balloon Museum featuring the large glass window and a seating area along the walkway."Earth and Sky" is a beautiful outdoor seating and community gathering space located on the north grounds of the Balloon Museum. Partners of the project included the Balloon Museum Foundation, the University of New Mexico and architect Eric Haskins. A “Power Up” grant from PNM Resources funded the project. 

This new open-air observation and seating gallery aims to avoid the ubiquitous park bench, and includes rammed-earth and terra cotta chairs and bancos. 

The rammed earth chairs, made from local subsoil, are designed with sustainability in mind. Their manufacture required the efforts of a team that included UNM students, who learned about building with rammed earth to make the chairs.