Arizona - Taliesin

You would have to look long and hard to find someone in the world living off the avails of architecture who does not know about American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  In 1937, just 15 miles from Scottsdale in the Arizona desert he founded Taliesin West - transplanting the name from his original Taliesin in Wisconsin.  It was a challenging location to say the least; miles from civilization, no apparent water (in the end there was but it was very hard to get at), no power, searing heat, coyotes and other critters prowling about....some life.

But with perseverance, hardworking apprentices and a little luck the masters plan came into being.  Today Taliesin West is an accredited school of architecture.  This is the view of the primary buildings from the 'ships prow' as Frank called it; in the opposite direction is a grand view of metro-Phoenix and mountains beyond.  Frank Lloyd Wright buildings have a fully resolved feeling to them; every detail is thought out and perfectly executed.  He believed that no building should be 'on' a site rather it should be of the site; the site being all the better for the building and vice verso.  Taliesin West is sculpted around the various humps and bumps of the hillside and is very low to the ground; the result being that tall people might find it a little claustrophobic - Frank was as small man and tended to prefer low ceilings and door ways.