In the first script of the acclaimed series Breaking Bad, the adventures and misadventures of its protagonist, Walter White, were set in sunny California. That’s how the creator of the series, Vince Gilligan, had written it, and that’s how he had it in his head. However, the producers had other ideas: Walter White and his family were going to live in New Mexico; the fifth largest state in the country but, at the same time, the least populated.
With a strong Hispanic influence, since it was not part of the United States until 1848, as a consequence of the war between Mexico and the United States, the current 47th state is dotted with plains and deserts, mountain ranges with biblical names and highways without barely traffic. But, above all, because of clear blue skies, which have nothing to envy to those of California. That was one of the arguments of the producers to convince Gilligan. However, as he himself explained to The New Yorker, what made him change his mind were mainly the financial advantages offered to shoot in New Mexico.
He did not regret it. That change of scenery turned out to be, in the words of the creator of the also very popular Better call Saul: “The best thing that could happen to us on a creative level.” Not only did they save a ton of money: “But it allowed us to shoot in these incredible cinematic landscapes, in and out of Albuquerque. It is an impressive, beautiful place that reminds me of the settings of those wonderful westernsâ€. Without New Mexico, Gilligan summed up: “The show would not have been the show.”
With just over half a million inhabitants, Albuquerque is the most populous city in the state, while its capital, Santa Fe, located an hour’s drive away, is much more discreet demographically. Between the two are the desert and places with names like Algodones, La Ciénaga, Agua FrÃa, Mount SandÃa, and even Madrid, where 247 residents live. There are also the beautiful mountains of the Sangre de Cristo and a series of natural parks and reserves of the Indian nations (Navajos, Apaches, Pueblo…) of spectacular beauty.
Of the two major cities in New Mexico, Albuquerque is where the most locations for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul were done. Like the office of lawyer Saul Goodman, in a seedy nail salon (Day Spa
Home to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, this city has become a vibrant arts center in recent years, attracting collectors, art dealers, designers, and architects. Many, like the creator of Breaking bad, fell in love with the landscapes and the climate of the area. “Windows open in summer and underfloor heating in winter. Neither flies nor mosquitoesâ€, assures the owner of one of the houses photographed in Santa Fe Modern.
This book from the Monacelli publishing house, with photographs by Texan Casey Dunn, documents how New Mexico and its desert have become the chosen place for new elites in the art world. Mostly people from other states (New York, California…) who, as Georgia O’Keeffe did in her day, ended up seduced by the light, the landscape and the generosity of the spaces.
Accordingly, the houses are always very spacious, built with thick walls to contain the cool in summer and repel the cold in winter. Some preserve the original adobe, others evoke it, but the facades are always painted in earth tones. Patios abound, for winter and summer, circular shapes, inspired by the kivas of the Pueblo and Anasazi Indians, and fireplaces, even in the bedrooms. The large glass windows, so as not to miss the views of the desert for a minute, are a concession to modernity.
While the gardens are arid and often blend in with the natural environment, the interiors are very sophisticated: designer pieces of furniture are combined with works of art, mostly contemporary. Sculptures, paintings and photographs displayed in large rooms (space is not an issue in New Mexico), with white and stuccoed walls, under wood beamed ceilings. In short, radically contemporary houses that, at the same time, connect with a cinematographic landscape.
