The long saga of the David and Gladys Wright Home, and efforts to preserve this later-period Frank Lloyd Wright project, have been about as straightforward as the Phoenix residence's spiraling sides. Considered a precursor to Wright's Guggenheim design, the home was saved from demolition in 2012 by local resident Zach Rawling, who recently announced plans to turn it into a museum and open the property to tours, art exhibitions and music performances. Rawling's vision, which he's advancing under the banner of the nonprofit David & Gladys Wright Home Foundation, would turn a forgotten structure into a tourist destination he expects to have a draw equal to that of nearby Taliesin West. Not surprisingly, some neighbors in the upscale Arcadia neighborhood surrounding the home haven't exactly taken to the new ideas, and the projected 100,000-plus visitors.
According to the Arizona Republic, some wealthy neighbors are opposing the proposal, including billionaire Peter Sperling, who heads the company that owns the private University of Phoenix. An online petition and "Wright House, Wrong Place" fliers are being circulated, and some have even hired lawyers to advance their cause. With a zoning and land use battle shaped up, one thing that's been settled during the growing debate over the home's future is its significance. The coiled building, raised to look above land once dominated by citrus trees, offers both interior courtyard views and sweeping views of the landscape, which includes the Camelback Mountains. While Wright isn't known for being humble, he did title these blueprints "How to Live in the Southwest."
· Phoenix Wright house owner, neighbors battle over museum's future [Arizona Republic]
· A Debate Arises Over Frank Lloyd Wright House in Phoenix [The New York Times]
· Previous Frank Lloyd Wright coverage [Curbed]
Loading comments...