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Taliesin West:
An Architectural Treasure
 I'll be honest. It took me years after moving to Scottsdale before I made the trip to see Taliesin West. I would hear people talk about it. I knew it was one of the more famous
Phoenix attractions.
Yet I'd see pictures and think... That's just gnarly. What's the big deal?
To my untrained eye, it was a crude, rough looking structure. Its walls made of coarse, lumpy gray mortar and big, clunky rocks. It certainly wasn't the masterpiece I would have expected from a world-famous architect. But just like the saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. When I finally made the visit, I learned very quickly, that Taliesin West had a story to tell. And like any good story, the plot came alive through its characters. Frank Lloyd Wright is the main protagonist in the tale of Taliesin West. His strong personality and personal philosophies on life are literally built into its design. To tour Taliesin West, is to commune with the spirit of the man himself. "I believe a house is more a home by being a work of art." - F.L.W.
First, Some Background InfoTaliesin West was first and foremost a camp, a winter camp that is. In fact, Wright never spent a summer here. It served as an architectural experiment, ever changing... A site that followed his "learn by doing" philosophy.
The camp served as a place for Wright's apprentices to learn and master the craft of architecture and design. It also served as his winter home.
Frank Lloyd Wright is famous for his "organic architecture". He focused a great deal on the relationship between buildings and their natural environment and used that as inspiration for his work.
Taliesin West is a living example of this principle.
It was built by Wright's apprentices using materials found around the site. The mortar was mixed from sand from the washes, and the quartzite rocks were collected from the surrounding desert floor.
Nature Influences ArtFirst impression, I thought Taliesin West looked rugged. When my tour started, I was stuck on the geometric shapes and strong lines that seemed to be everywhere. It was obvious there was a theme, yet aesthetically I didn't get it.
But like all things at Taliesin West, I learned there was a very specific purpose behind the unusual features.
The pool view at Taliesin West.
My tour guide Chris (who was hilarious and very good at holding a captive audience) kindly explained that Frank Lloyd Wright used these shapes to mimic the desert. Mission accomplished, I thought.
After all, the desert is one of the most rugged and harsh environments on Earth.
The most dominant shape that can be found at Taliesin West is the triangle. Wright felt it looked like everything in the desert, even the mountain it rests on. You'll notice triangles everywhere you turn.
How many triangles can you spot in these pictures?
Apparently, Frank Lloyd Wright also liked his structures to resemble boats.
Here you can see a very deliberately designed walkway, as it juts out towards the valley. Wright considered this walkway the "prow" of the boat, as if Taliesin West were sailing over the vast see of the desert.
Wright was an interesting man, even considered a bit controversial by some. He had many passions (and vices...) besides architecture, which were made clearly evident at Taliesin West.
Like his love for music, cars and the color red... Inside the performing arts theater.
But perhaps the most fascinating to me, however, is Frank Lloyd Wright's ability to manipulate behavior through his design. And manipulate he did, according to his personal philosophies...
Low ceilings in the main dining room force you to "sit down" while you're there. Low doorways force you to "come inside" and not linger at the door. Furniture is not so comfortable, so as a guest, you don't stay too long. There is little storage space because..."if you need to store it, then you really don't need it". As my tour continued, each chapter in the story gracefully unfolded. And slowly, the man behind the design began to reveal himself. With each twist and turn, through courtyards and workrooms, through gardens and studies, my appreciation for F.L.W. grew.
The Cabaret It wasn't until we hit the "Cabaret", that I felt we had reached the grand finale. The climactic moment. Like the crescendo of a great piece of music. It is here where I went from mild interest to all out awe. In its day, the Cabaret was used as a theater. Frank Lloyd Wright wanted a space specifically for people to be entertained...
To enjoy food, song, dance and music all in one place.
The space was designed to maximize acoustics and comfort for guests. That may not sound like groundbreaking stuff, but it was the way Wright went about it that really impressed me.
Allow me to paint a picture (don't worry, I won't give it all away).
To manage acoustics, the Cabaret was built with no right angles, no parallel walls. In fact, it was formed in the shape of a hexagon.
Hallway walking into the Cabaret.
There were no smooth, hard surfaces, so there was no echo. And the sound resonating qualities of the room were unbelievable. I had no idea structures and sound waves could harmonize in such a way. You'll see exactly what I mean when your guide shows you " the music box illustration". It is SO cool. I also noticed the seating arrangements, which initially looked funny to me. But of course, I learned (duh) it was deliberate and a way to maximize comfort for the guests. I won't ruin the surprise here and tell you why they're different. You'll just have to go see for yourself. But I will say... He's a genius. Did you know Wright invented floor lights? I didn't either. But invent them he did, so he could eliminate the harsh and distracting flashlight of an usher.
Now for the ultimate question...
How did Frank Lloyd Wright end up in Scottsdale?Though Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the most well-known architects of our time, between 1924 - 1934 he was considered a "has-been". No one wanted to hire him. Hard to believe considering at the time of his death, he had more than 100 projects on the table.
Amazing how things change. Most people know F.L.W. as a resident of Chicago. But in the winter of 1933, he was stricken with pneumonia and on doctor's orders, set out for drier climate. Thus, Scottsdale became his new winter home.
Ever since that time, Frank Lloyd Wright's influence throughout the valley has been tremendous. You can see evidence of his influence almost anywhere you go... From the "sprites" you will find in private backyards, to the bright blue spire at the Scottsdale Promenade.
Back to Taliesin West... To Tour, or Not to Tour?That is the question. (With an easy answer in my opinion.)
Take it from me, Taliesin West is popular for a reason. It's incredible. I went initially out of obligation, but left wishing I had taken the longer tour. I truly, truly enjoyed the experience.
People usually ask me if the tour is required. It is.
Taliesin West still functions as a school. So unless you're a student, you can't just breeze through. But you really wouldn't want to, in my opinion. At first, I wasn't too keen on the idea of having a guide. But it became quite clear the experience wouldn't have been the same without one.
The story of Taliesin West is told as much in its big details, as in its tiny little details. It's a story you wouldn't be able to appreciate unless you had a storyteller. Without my guide, I wouldn't have learned how these 800 year-old petroglyphs ended up on the site... Hohokam petroglyphs at Taliesin West.
 Or the meaning behind these sculptures, called "Gumps", that can be found all over. And on, and on. Which tour should I take? That's another question I get a lot. I personally went on the Panoramic Tour, which lasts an hour. It was excellent, but I wished it were longer. There are several other tours, with the 90-Minute Insights Tour being the most popular. I would recommend this as the minimum amount of time you spend at Taliesin West. One thing to keep in mind before you go. This is mainly an outdoor activity. That means it can get pretty hot, starting from April on. Umbrellas are provided on super-sunny days (which is almost everyday...), but its still toasty. And because of that, the tour schedule changes based on season. My suggestion to you, is to check the schedule before heading out there. You can find the
tour schedule at Taliesin West here.
If you need to,
head over here to check today's forecast.
Otherwise, enjoy. You don't even need to be a Frank Lloyd Wright fan or know his work to appreciate Taliesin West.
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