World-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright was known for his organic architecture, for his disdain of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and for Taliesin (aka Taliesin East), his personal home located in Wisconsin and perhaps one of his greatest accomplishments. What most people don’t know, however, is Taliesin isn’t the only structure of its kind, as Taliesin West, Mr. Wright’s winter home and architecture school, is an exact duplicate found right here in Scottsdale! Offering a fantastic peek into the talented and quirky man and making Paseo Homes AZ wish that we could offer at least some of his homes as rentals, today we want to take guests into the mind and heart of the world’s greatest architect with a visit to Taliesin West.
Taliesin West In Scottsdale, AZ
Built in 1937, Taliesin West served as Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and architectural school, a school that was still active until 2020, when it lost accreditation and closed its doors forever. To be perfectly clear, however, it is just the school that shut its doors; the structure itself has been declared a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as being a popular tourist attraction. Offering a variety of tours, including some that are held at night during certain times of the years, everything inside comes from the mind of Wright, and you will feel like you stepped back in time when you take the tour.
The Eccentric Frank Lloyd Wright
As we mentioned earlier, the talented architect intensely disliked the AIA, which maybe shouldn’t surprise us, as he had very strong feelings on pretty much everything. Taliesin West was originally built without windows, because he tried to only use organic matter in the construction of his work, and when his wife finally put the kibosh on that, he turned to his students to figure out how to do it, without touching or changing ANYTHING inside. Today, you can even see the hole in the glass his students had to cut out, because he refused to let them move a simple vase. There are seven pools of water filled from a well Wright had dug on the property, and there are stones engraved with ancient petroglyphs that he placed in various locations on the property. One of the most unusual pieces at Taliesin West, however, is the fire-breathing dragon given to his widow after his death. It was originally designed to be a fountain, something else Mrs. Wright put the kibosh on, saying dragons should breathe fire, not water.
Not Quite Wright’s Style
Our Paseo Homes AZ vacation rentals are not quite up to par with Frank Lloyd Wright’s style, but they will bring luxury and comfort to your vacation experience. Contact us to reserve your favorite today!
