Arizona Architecture

I recently had the opportunity to visit three significant architectural projects in Arizona. Burton Barr Central Library by Will Bruder, Taliesin West by Frank Lloyd Wright, and Arcosanti Paolo Soleri. I was unable to photograph the library but can recommend this site for images. All three works are worth visiting and studying. They examined issues of purpose, site, climate, and materials and created beautiful design solutions. However, one stands above the other two. As the tour guide at Taliesin stated, the project is timeless.

Taliesin West, now in a suburb of Phoenix, was built as a winter retreat for Frank Lloyd Wright and his fellowship in the Arizona desert. The project was built largely by his apprentices from materials of the site. The design itself includes many of Wright organic design theories including incorporating the site into the design, the design reflects the nature of the materials, it reflects the character of the owner, and the colors are drawn from nature. He also incorporates his themes of building on the brow of the hill rather than the summit, the sheltering roof, the centrality of the hearth, and the use of compression and release. Through this the building belongs to this site and giving it a timeless character.

Arcosanti is the creation of Paolo Soleri and has been under construction since 1970 in the Arizona desert north of Phoenix. This is a reaction to the problems of the urban/suburban environment and how to reduce our impact on the earth while improving our quality of life. This is designed according to his "Arcology" concept, an intersection of architecture and ecology. In this the building and the living interact like organs within a highly evolved being, resulting in efficient systems. One example of this is the heat generated from the greenhouses is carried through concrete heat ducts and heats the living spaces during the winter. While the building forms allow for natural and efficient climate control, they feel alien to the landscape.

The Burton Barr Library designed by Will Bruder is set in downtown Phoenix, and has since become a landmark in their skyline. The building incorporates modern materials and aesthetics into its sustainability goals. Similar aesthetics and material treatments have been utilized in other buildings of this era, unfortunately giving the building a dated feeling. The building's sustainability is most apparent in its daylighting and shading strategies. The buildings has a large amount of glazing allowing for light to penetrate deep into the building and for remarkable views into the landscape. Fixed and operable sunshading is incorporated into the design to prevent excessive solar gain. The natural light changes with the season, most famously at the equinox the lightwells are oriented to create a glow on the columns.