Camping in the desert

He was arrogant, a womanizer, married three times, financially incompetent, egotistical and a genius (up until the genius bit you thought I was describing myself... ha!). I'm talking about Frank Lloyd Wright the most famous American architect ever. Once, when appearing as an expert witness in a court trial, he was asked his occupation..."I'm the world greatest architect" he replied. Later, when chastised by his wife for being so arrogant, he said "I was under oath, what did you expect me to do, lie?"

In the 30's he came to Phoenix to oversee the construction of what became one of his signature buildings, the Biltmore Hotel, and fell in love with the area. He bought 600 acres far from Phoenix and built Taliesin West his winter "camp' in the desert. This remarkable home grew into what is today considered the leading school of Organic Architecture in the world. Wright died at age 93 and for the last two decades of his life he completed 600 projects and there were 1300 unfinished projects on his list. Who says old people can't be productive? When visiting Taliesin, as Jill and I did yesterday, one is amazed that this unique structure was, for the most part, built 80 years ago. It looks like something Gehery or IM Pei might have designed recently.


The Taliesin Fellowship (School) has twenty three students at a time. A student must have two years of college basics before applying. The first year each student lives in a shelter in the desert they design and build themselves...  it's their introduction to organic design. Students must have multiple interests in the arts... dance, poetry, music, etc. Two of the existing teachers were the original students under Wright... in their 90's now, they are active and brilliant. One is also a world class sculptress whose works are on display throughout Taliesin. As students under Wright, they along with their classmates, actually built most of the buildings using simple tools... picks and shovels... no power nailers, just hammers, sweat and muscle.


The genius of Wright lives on in his work... Taliesin East and West, The Guggenheim in NY, Falling Waters, The Arizona Biltmore and the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo to name just a few. He marched to notes most of us are unable to hear. He always told his students that Beethoven was the greatest architect that ever lived. If you ever get a chance to take a tour of Taliesin West you will understand the oft quoted dictum that form follows function. And, for a brief time, walk in the steps of a great iconoclastic American giant.