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The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation (FLWF) recently announced that Sasaki will lead a comprehensive plan for Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wright’s retreat in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona.
Taliesin West served as Wright’s winter camp and studio from 1938 until his death in 1959. It embodies the late master’s organic architectural principles and blends harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. The Scottsdale complex, along with several other Wright buildings, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.
Now, Sasaki is working with FLWF to develop a new interpretive master plan. This is to develop new models of participation for a range of tourism and public programmes, while also looking to protect heritage in the face of climate change.
“The development of Taliesin West after Wright’s death in 1959 was not planned or intentional,” said FLWF President and CEO Stuart Graff. “New technologies, social changes, and even climate change make a thoughtful path forward important for the foundation and surrounding communities.”
Sasaki describes its future role as respecting and enhancing Taliesin West’s legacy while ensuring its sustainability and relevance for future generations. The goals of the comprehensive plan are to document the site to guide future work, create a responsive site design that respects the local ecology, and develop a new interpretation plan based on audience research conducted by FLWF in 2019.
Sasaki’s architects were drawn to the incredible biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert, which they say is home to plant and animal species capable of surviving harsh and arid conditions. Vegetation that can survive in this harsh landscape includes cacti, ocotillo, palo verde trees and many others. Sasaki officials said the program will study the effects of climate change on Taliesin West’s flora and fauna to help preserve plant life while reducing the site’s impact on its surrounding environment.
“We are honored to partner with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to help shape the future of Taliesin West,” said Sasaki President Susannah Drake. “Taliesin West is more than just a historical monument; it is a legacy of Wright’s visionary approach to architecture and design. Living proof. Our team is working with the foundation to develop a plan that respects the site’s heritage while embracing ecology and sustainability.”
As introduced before onePreservationists have been working at Taliesin West in recent years to make accessibility upgrades and replace the structure’s canvas roof panels, among other renovation projects.
The project has not yet released a timetable.
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