Taliesin West Part 4: the Sculpture Garden

On my recent trip to Taliesin West in Scottsdale, AZ, our tour guide told me that the museum had its own sculptor in residence, something that I found very interesting and unusual. More interesting than that was the fact that she actually knew Frank Lloyd Wright, and her sculptures are for sale to this day.

Though I'm sure that the museum doesn't sell many (as the prices go up into the $20,000 range), they make a wonderful statement to the grounds and totally play off the architecture.

Several sculptures, on Wright-inspired platforms form a small gallery near the main house.
An archer wields a bow but no arrow, encompassed in an earthly sphere.
The sound of trickling water from a simple fountain creates a small oasis.
A large, built-in stone near the entrance to Wright's office/drafting room.

I'm not sure what these are called, but they were scattered throughout the grounds and are reminiscent of Wright's Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, the lobby of which was rebuilt as an attraction.

Lastly, a few bizarre, abstract sculptures incorporated into the design of the grounds.

I hope you've enjoyed this series on Taliesin West, and the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. What's next, I wonder?

Taliesin West Part 3: the Interior

Frank Lloyd Wright's use of (at that time) new technology, such as integrated lighted, seating, and modern materials no doubt contributed greatly to the success of Taliesin West. This, part three of a four part series on the house, will focus on the interior of the architectural marvel and the many brilliant and revolutionary ideas that make the house such a starting point for truly modern architecture.

Integrated lighting was one of Wright's most celebrated and standard elements, which he used creatively, experimenting with shapes to compliment rooms and other architectural elements.

Wright built this cellar as a place to store valuables such as pianos and appliances during the summer months when he retreated to Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

A built-in outdoor bench of what I suspect to be carrara marble.

Wright's (small) personal ensuite bathroom, attached to his bedroom. His use of stainless steel is completely seamless. How did he know that that would be in style a hundred years later?

Upper windows shed warm natural light in the living room.
A view from a quiet corner of the living room, out to the adjacent lawn.

These little Asian theatre scenes were built in all over the property; Wright purchased them in the Far East.

Finally, an unfortunately unrealized idea for Phoenix city hall is placed proudly in Wright's office, a perfect copy of the original that he kept there. Our guide told us that this was mostly a P.R. project, and was not expected to be built.

Taliesin West Part 2: the Structure

Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West is undoubtedly one of the simplest and most effective uses of Far Eastern architecture built to this day. I've already shown you the magnificent grounds surrounding it, but here is the exterior structure, the simplicity of which is unparalleled to date.

In designing Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright had three main shapes in mind: triangles, to imitate the nearby mountains, circles, and hexagons. This glass and metal hexagonal door, which led to his drafting room, is a show-stopping entry on its own.

A bell tower, used to this day to call to meals the aspiring architects studying at the architecture school located there... wouldn't that be a dream?

A small red overhang, with square motifs decorating the sides, casts an interesting shadow and houses a lightbulb; Wright was well-know for his use of integrated lighting.

One of many breezeways used to escape the hot Arizona sun.

Wright's six-inch stairs, leading down to an abyss of lush green grass, an unexpected touch of natural beauty.

A view of the house opposite adjacent to the pool. Those large icicle-shaped things are exactly that; they'd sway in the breeze, and whenever one of Wright's architects in residence complained that he was homesick, Wright would claim that there were icicles of that size in Wisconsin, where he enjoyed summers at Taliesin.

Once again, the triangular motif.

Lastly, wooden rectangles protrude from the side of Wright's drafting room, a simple detail reminiscent of friezes atop Roman pillars.

Taliesin West Part 1: the Grounds

This weekend, I took a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona to visit some friends, and was lucky enough to find that this was were Frank Lloyd Wright built his winter home, Taliesin West, as a warm retreat from his summer home, Taliesin, which is in Spring Green, Wisconsin. I am very interested in architecture and love the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, which is hugely influenced by the minimal clean lines of the Far East. This post will be the first of a four-part series about Taliesin, which will focus on the lush grounds of the beautiful, flowing estate, made possible by Wright's insistence on drilling for water underground, which he eventually found.

Beautiful red flowers were all over the place, which survive on deceptively little water, as well as some very frightening cacti, and light, dry grasses.

Frank Lloyd Wright used very low stairs in many of his projects and our tour guide, Tom, told us that he thought that they were "easy to ascend and graceful to walk down."

Beautiful fountains created a serene environment, this one situated in a triangular space (Taliesin West focused on the triangles, to mimic the nearby mountains, circles, and hexagons).

A beautiful garden off of his and hers bedrooms, with a round red door leading to an enclosed patio space.

The views from the pool were so inspiring, but Wright nearly had a fit when ugly power-lines were erected, obscuring his view, which still stand today.

The discovery of the aforementioned underground water supply made a swimming pool possible, which was really built because of Wright's fear of a fire, as his summer home in Wisconsin burned twice to the ground.

Beautiful walkways abound on Wright's fabulous property, I particularly like this one, framed by trees and seemingly neverending.

Lastly, a gorgeous stone fountain.

Beautiful Boxes

I love boxes! Whether they be crystal, leather, wood, or silver, they are beautiful things that can be functional, too!

My four favorite boxes include:

A cut-crystal Tiffany and Co box with their signature Roman Numeral motif was a party favor at a Bill Clinton fundraiser held in Toronto last year.

A leather box that I purchased on Portobello road, embellished with a so-far unidentified crest.

A tiny, pretty one, inlaid with mother of pearl and six varieties of woods that I picked up at a Christmas marketplace.

An antique embossed with the logo of the 'Wheeler and Wilson' sewing machine company. Can you imagine a time where beautiful carved boxes were simply used to hold sewing machine parts?

A Trip to the St. Lawrence Market

Few Torontonians know about the flea market that takes place Sundays at the St. Lawrence Market which, during the week, is a bountiful source of local, organic foods at reasonable prices. I often venture down on Sundays around ten (many experienced goers will arrive at the crack of dawn, but I'm just too lazy!), and poke around for an hour or two.

By the time I arrive, it's generally fairly busy, which I actually prefer. People walk around carrying mismatched plastic bags full of old books or china, and there is a general feeling of vivacity mixed with the vague musty scent of history.

Batches of cufflinks are displayed (starting at around $2) in vintage, velvet-lined trays. A few stylish pairs catch my eye, but the gaudier pairs are fun to look at.

There are always a few nice etchings for sale, like the one in the bottom right-hand corner, though I am more partial to architecturals.

My scores for the day included a pair of silver-plated English candlesticks, a warm hat with the seal of the U.S.S.R (for fun), and a nice little print, similar to one I'd seen this summer for $800.

'To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.'

- William Blake

Functional Spaces Can Be Beautiful

I've noticed among friends that, design-wise, functional spaces often go overlooked. I'd like to rectify that problem and take you on a little tour of my home, and the functional spaces along the way. From entry tables to desk drawers, any space can be beautiful.

All the essentials are tastefully arranged for ease of access in this catchall desk drawer. Extra notepads are piled in one corner, and supplies are grouped in decorative containers. Silver coaster: Henri Bendel; Notepads: The Elegant Setting; Pen: Cartier.

A closet shelf is meant for sweaters, but why not use it to display colognes, sunglasses, cufflinks, and watches for easy access when dressing. Cufflinks: Brooks Brothers, Saks Fifth Avenue; Sunglasses: Ray Ban; Colognes: Hermes, Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren, Carthusia of Capri; Watch (with orange band): Tissot.

An entry hall table is dressed up with fresh flowers, candlesticks, and a stylish tray. Soy Sauce Bowls (used for change): Crate and Barrel; Gloves: Sermonetta; iPhone: Apple.

Finally, the desk is the space where inspiration is crucial, so liven it up with accent colors, artwork, and more flowers! Ashtray: Hermes; Humidor: Siglo; Laptop: Dell; Arc Mouse: Microsoft.