With Frank Lloyd Wright being such a presence in the Valley, it only made sense to drive the 15 minutes to see his Taliesin West. Well worth the time and a most enjoyable tour of a creative space.
Made up of 16 stops and guided by an audio tour played through an app on your phone, it is a great way to spend an hour. I really gained some special insights into this creative genius.
I ended up following a printed script as I couldn’t get my earphones/hearing aides to work with my phone. I actually think I had a quieter, more contemplative experience.
From the inspiration of the petroglyph to the cabaret at the end, the tour takes you though, not only a space, but the process and environment Wright built and used with his team. From sharing meals and movies together to sharing ideas of how to best use and implement materials, this is much about community as it is a craft.
I was most impressed with Wright’s four premises:
- Use of an open style for the space.
- Nature of the site.
- Nature of the materials.
- Designing for Democracy.
He really created a “great room” before it was called that. The site and it’s shape and geography drove how the final space looked and felt. Materials didn’t always ahve to be natural to the site and were appreciated for how they looked and felt. And architecture, he believed, was intended for good of all.
It is a beautiful space and the script and presentation are done very well.
Relentless
