This article explores the history, architectural development, and visitor information for Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home, studio, and architectural school, nestled in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Desert Laboratory: A Living Expression of Organic Architecture
By 1932, Frank Lloyd Wright was looking for an escape from the harsh Wisconsin winters. His 1927 trip to consult on the Biltmore Hotel piqued his imagination, leading him to found the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. Originally known as the Taliesin Fellowship, Wright purchased 600 acres around 1937, establishing Taliesin West as an architectural laboratory that he would continually develop for the next 20 years. In Wright’s own words, Taliesin West would be “a look over the rim of the world.”
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Preservation and Management
Taliesin West is a significant global site. On July 7, 2019, UNESCO announced the addition of Taliesin West, along with seven other Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings, to the United Nations’ list of the world’s most significant cultural and natural sites. Today, the site is managed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which offers a variety of educational programs and tours that continue his architectural philosophy and legacy. View the complete list of UNESCO designated Wright Buildings.
Plan Your Visit
Location
Taliesin West is located at 12621 Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Tour Taliesin West
There are a number of different ways to experience your time at Taliesin West, including various tour types like guided and audio tours. Always check the official website at franklloydwright.org to browse the options, book your reservations, and see the most up-to-date hours of operation.
Hotels in Phoenix
- Arizona Biltmore
- Cambria Hotel Downtown Phoenix Convention Center
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites
- Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix
- Staybridge Suites Phoenix – Biltmore Area
A Home in the Desert
It is difficult to imagine Scottsdale in the late 1930s, when the population was barely 2700, especially today when it is more than a quarter million and still growing. (He likely paid little more than the $2.50 per acre that it cost U.S. Army Chaplain, Winfield Scott — who the city is named after — back in the early 1880s.)
Entering the “estate” however, imagination is easier; the desert surrounding Taliesin West swallows it whole. It is not until one is on the “doorstep” to the place, that one can see anything at all of the buildings; they so perfectly blend in with the desert. In Wright’s own words, Taliesin West would be “a look over the rim of the world“, serving as an architectural laboratory for him for the next 20 years.
Unique Features
Taliesin West is renowned for its seamless integration of structure and landscape, with walls, terraces, and walkways designed to echo the slopes of the McDowell Mountains. The architectural complex includes interior spaces like the Cabaret Theater, Music Pavilion, Kiva, and the iconic Drafting Studio, all connected by gardens and pathways. The use of desert masonry is arguably the principle character-defining feature, literally made “of the desert” in terms of its use of local quartzite and sand, embodying Wright’s philosophy of organic architecture.
Additional Resources and Inspired Products
View our curated list of books and products inspired by Taliesin West on our Amazon storefront: Wright at Home.
- Taliesin West: At Home with Frank Lloyd Wright by Nora Burba Trulsson (Author), Andrew Pielage (Photographer), Stuart Graff (Foreword)
- Under Arizona Skies: The Apprentice Desert Shelters at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West by Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer
- Frank Lloyd Wright in Arizona (Amazon)
- View our Taliesin West playlist on YouTube
- World Heritage Sites: The Definitive Guide to All 1,199 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Amazon)
Return to the complete list of Frank Lloyd Wright sites in Arizona
