Taliesin West

Pros: A chance to experience Frank Lloyd Wright's space somewhat as he did.
Cons: Too much to see in a short tour.

I have long been fascinated and impressed by the architectural work of the late Frank Lloyd Wright, so I jumped at the chance to visit his studio, home, and school at Taliesin West in Scottsdale on a recent trip to Phoenix. The drive up the mountain is ...

Pros: lots of Wright history, facts, anecdotes; viewing the buildings; getting inside info from knowledgeable guides
Cons: sometimes overly "artsy"; "Wright can do no wrong" attitude

Taliesen West is a not exactly a tourist attraction. It's more a destination for people interested in architecture, design, art, and co-existing with nature. I have taken the one-hour tour several times, and each time I came away with something...

Pros: Great fun for anybody interested in architecture or design.
Cons: Not particularly kid-friendly. Part of tour is outdoors & could be very hot.

Frank Lloyd Wright is generally viewed within architectural circles as one of the most creative and visionary architects the field has ever known. He practiced a kind of "organic architecture", which focused on the relationship between the building and ...

Pros: Inspirational design and landscape, close to town, but far away feeling
Cons: Tours do not visit drafting room, gift shop has standard stuff.

I visted Taliesen West in late October 2003. It was unseasonably warm (90 degrees), and had very few visitors. It is a few minutes west of the loop 101 freeway in Scottsdale-take either Cactus Rd. or FLW Blvd. I would not go during high heat, since you are outside for half the tour.

I have a degree in architecture and am a fan of Wright, but not an absolute devotee. I took the 3 hour tour for $25. There are shorter tours, but this one inlcuded tea/snacks in the dining room halfway thru.

The guide was very knowledgable and took us to all the rooms/buildings except the drafting room and private apartments. The Fellowship has a few dozen students and teachers there all the time. We met with a man who had helped Wright build the camp in the late 1930s as well as the curator of the FLW Archives, on site.

If you like architecture and enjoy the desert landscape this is a great tour. The bookstore has mostly books-probably every one written about FLW. There are some posters, and licenced decorator items-nothing you canot find online or elsewhere. Bring your camera, water bottle and sunglasses.