Why Santa Fe Looks Like Santa Fe

Walk downtown and the east side of Santa Fe and you’ll notice something unusual: almost every building looks like it belongs. Earth-toned walls, flat roofs, rounded corners, and wooden beams. Even new buildings echo the past.

That’s not a coincidence—it’s the result of centuries of design choices, cultural traditions, and city rules that shape how Santa Fe looks today.

Let’s start back in the early 1600s. When the Spanish came to what is now New Mexico, they brought with them a set of rules called the Law of the Indies. These laws weren’t just about behavior—they included instructions for how to build towns. According to the Law of the Indies, every new settlement needed a central plaza, a church, and government buildings nearby. Streets were laid out in a grid, with homes and shops radiating outward. The idea was to create order, community, and protection from the elements.

Santa Fe was founded in 1610 using this plan. That’s why the Santa Fe Plaza is still the heart of the city. It’s surrounded by historic buildings like the Palace of the Governors and the Cathedral Basilica. Even today, the plaza remains a gathering place—just as the Law of the Indies intended.

But Santa Fe’s look isn’t just about history. In the 20th century, city leaders made a bold decision: they wanted to protect the city’s unique style. In 1957, Santa Fe passed a law called the Historic Zoning Ordinance. It said that buildings in certain parts of town had to follow specific design rules. That meant using adobe or adobe-style materials, keeping roofs flat, and sticking to earth-tone colors. The goal was to preserve the “Santa Fe Style”—a mix of Pueblo, Spanish, and Territorial architecture.

These rules are still in place today. If you want to build or remodel in the historic district, you have to get approval from the City’s Historic Preservation Division, or in some cases, from the Historic Districts Review Board. They make sure your design fits in with the neighborhood. That’s why you don’t see glass skyscrapers or neon signs in the Historic District.  Instead, you see buildings that blend with the landscape and honor the past.

For me, this makes it all work.  It keeps Santa Fe beautiful and special.

I know that some think it is too strict, making it hard to build something new or different, and stifles creativity. 

But Santa Fe’s look is part of what makes it feel like Santa Fe.

This is why our tiny town attracts people from all over the world.  It is why it won the World Legacy Award from National Geographic for its “Sense of Place.” 

So the next time you walk through the District, take a moment to notice the details. The thick walls that keep buildings cool in summer and warm in winter. The courtyards tucked behind wooden gates. The way the city seems to rise naturally from the high desert floor. It’s all part of a long story—one that started with Native traditions, grew through Spanish laws, and continues with community choices today.

Santa Fe doesn’t just look like Santa Fe by accident. It looks this way because people cared enough to shape it, protect it, and pass it on.