I was 8 years old and told my mom I wanted to be an architect - I spent all of high school and college focused on that one end goal. After obtaining my undergraduate degree in architecture, working in architecture firms for 5 years and applying not once, but twice (for good measure) to graduate programs in architecture - I decided that becoming an architect wasn't my end goal. One doesn't need to be an architect to love design, understand the process of the built environment and the role it plays in our society, right? Life has a funny way of diverting your path. I said at one of my open houses recently that my path and journey might not make sense to a lot of people, but it has been perfect for me. (Yes, even in those trying, troubling and awkward times, it's turned out perfect). My path and my journey has been guided my love of design and architecture, but also by my independence, free-spirit and my ability to be big-picture focused and spreadsheet savvy. If I fall out of harmony with one of these things which feeds my soul, I've found it's not long before I begin to fill restless and unfulfilled. I'm equal parts design, project management and gypsy.
Frank Lloyd Wright is arguably one of the most well known architects in American history. I'm pretty he was the first architect I remember learning about and back my Saturday design and drafting classes. Back in Michigan and the Midwest is work all over. Hell, we literally stumbled on one scoping out our site for a group project in my first semester design studio at U of M.
Me: Hey, Chris, doesn't that look like Frank Lloyd Wright could have designed it?
Chris: Totally.
Me (pondering to myself): Here in Ann Arbor?
Yes. That would have been FLW's Palmer House.
I moved to Phoenix a few years ago, after spending a fair amount of time out here working on commercial projects throughout my career. I was quite surprised that Arizonians love FLW as much as us Midwesties do - there's a Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd in Scottsdale after-all. Silly me, I guess I didn't realize that Mr. Wright has a fair amount of work that he did out this way after he retired. Which brings me to the reason for this post.
Taliesin West and I haven't met yet. So I think if you live locally and you haven't gone and visited Mr. Wright's desert home and "architectural laboratory" yet - you should join me.
When: June 26th, 7pm
What: Taliesin West - Night Lights Tour
Purchase tickets with this link and use discount code "AZRESIDENT"
And... let me know you're in so we can all grab eats and drinks before!