Alburquerque  

 Sundial: 854
State/Province:  New Mexico Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Horizontal Dial Condition:  No longer exists
  Latitude and Longitude: 35° 4.7193 N  106° 36.0110 W
Location:
  • Dial was located in a small park at the intersection of Morningside Dr SE and Silver Ave SE just south of central Ave SE in Albuquerque, NM

    The sundial and garden have now been replaced by a housing complex
 
Description:
  • This was a unique horizontal sundial designed for the Nob Hill Main Street program, where the sundial anchored the southeast corner of the Nob Hill Community Garden. Created several years ago by Mike Heighway and Mira Rose, Mike explained, "The purpose of the Nob Hill Sundial is to act as an interactive gardener’s guide. It works on an annual cycle by casting a shadow from a large center piece (the gnomon) onto a concrete plate with embedded steel [diurnal] bands and porcelain tiles that describe that month’s gardening activities." The dial itself was about 10 feet in diameter with an metal, rust-colored gnomon. The sundial is designed around the summer and winter solstice, since these are ultimately the times of year when the sun is either at its highest or lowest point in the noon sky. Each horizontal band connects to two tiles; one side for months approaching the summer solstice, and the other for months approaching the winter solstice. The tiles instruct people what monthly activities to do in the garden.

    At the base were 17 tiles — one tile for each month of the year, one winter solstice tile, one summer solstice tile, one tile for both equinoxes, a centering tile (the tile which dictates the very center of the design), and a "hero" tile in the shape of a historic U.S. highway sign with information about contributors to the project. Most prominent is acknowledging the Garden Design by Robert Strell (whose office is across the street) and Grant Funding from the New Mexico Centennial Foundation.
 
General Information:Inscription:
  • Owner: Nob Hill Community
  • NOB HILL COMMUNITY GARDEN
    Garden Design Robert Strell
    Grant Funding New Mexico Centennial Foundation
    Sundial Concept and Design Kobold Studios
    ...
    Affirmative Solutions - Steel Fabrication
    Chavez Concrete - concrete installation
    Waycor - concrete
  • Designer: Mike Heighway and Mira Rose; Garden by Robert Strell
  • Builder: Gnomon & Dirurnal Lines: Afirmative Solutions; Chavez Concrete
  • Construction Date: Built 2014-2015 Removed Spring 2016
 

Last Revised: 2017-03-11 16:08