With the sunny yet crisp weather, now is a great time for outdoor adventures and being a tourist in your own city. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West is the perfect place to spend a few hours or take out of town guests looking for an off-the-beaten path Arizona experience near Scottsdale golf homes. Built in 1938, the monument offers a unique look into the artistic and thoughtful world of architecture.
While many know of the winter home and studio at the foot of the McDowell Mountains, few have toured the still operational school and spectacular example of Wright’s architecture. Other examples of Wright’s mark on the architectural world and the horizon include the Arizona Biltmore Resort, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium and a number of churches, public buildings and private residences across the country.
Taliesin West was built along the mountains to give Wright a feeling of being “on top of the world.” He used this project as a way to experiment with lines and the Valley’s abundant natural light, all while paying homage to his surroundings by incorporating rock and stone materials native to Arizona into his design.
Even in its early days, the estate was more than a winter home. Wright often brought budding young architecture students, called Taliesin Fellows, out to learn and work. Additional buildings were added on including residences, a dining hall and performance studios. It was a natural transition to open the home as Taliesin, the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, which it still operates as today with students learning and living in the architectural icon.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation owns and operates the almost 500-acre property and takes on all the restoration and upkeep that a 75+ year old mountain estate needs. The foundation raises the money each year, approximately $2.5 million in 2015. Members of the foundation and generous donations all contribute to “enriching society through an understanding of Frank Lloyd Wright’s ideas, architecture and design.”
As a Taliesin West visitor, you can explore the grounds year-round. A number of different tours are offered, including a seasonal Night Lights Tour and a behind-the-scenes Insights Tour. Tours range from one to three hours with prices starting at $24 per person. Both kids an adults can take art or photography classes at the property, and kids up through grade twelve can spend the summer learning how to design their own dream space.
A standout among attractions and landmarks near Scottsdale golf homes, a day at Taliesin West is a day well spent. The scenery and architecture is even more spectacular as the sun sets across the Valley below.
Looking for your own “top of the world” retreat around Arizona golf communities? Let The Matheson Team guide you to your dream design in the beautiful southwestern landscape!
Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team – RE/MAX Fine Properties
21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-405-4228
[email protected]
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