McHugh, John, 1918-1995

John W. McHugh graduated cum laude from the School of Architecture, University of Notre Dame in 1941. He served as a planner in the U.S. Army Air Force, then spent time studying and traveling in Europe and teaching at Notre Dame. In 1946 he moved to Santa Fe and joined John Gaw Meem's architectural firm. His first private practice was in partnership with Van Dorn Hooker, beginning in 1955. In 1957 they combined with another firm and became McHugh & Hooker, Bradley P. Kidder and Associates. McHugh remained in private practice for thirty-five years working with other partners including Robert E. Plettenberg, James A. Burran Jr., George Wright, and Wayne Lloyd. Best known for the Santa Fe Opera theater, McHugh designed this outdoor theater exclusively for opera performance. The first opera theater, designed by McHugh & Hooker, burned down in 1967. McHugh was contracted to design its replacement which was constructed between opera seasons during the snowy winter of 1967-1968. He also designed commercial and public buildings, private residences, churches, and historic church restorations. Many of the projects that gave him the most satisfaction were churches. They include: Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Taos; St. James Episcopal Church, Taos; Our Lady of the Assumption, Albuquerque; the restoration of St. Francis Cathedral, Santa Fe; and the reconstruction of the mission church at San Ildefonso Pueblo.