Defining Desert Living
Architecturally Unique Homes
MARCH/APRIL 2022
BENNIE GONZALES
Arizona’s Legacy Architect
JOE WONG Designed Scottsdale
CASTLE HOT SPRINGS
TM
Architecturally Unique Homes
azarchitecture.com
Copyright 2021 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.
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IN HIS OWN WORDS
Editor’s Note: Thank you dear reader! Like us, you’ve made it a point to incorporate design and architecture in your life. It’s certainly part of ours… this year marks the thirty-second year of our commitment to adding value to architecture. We have had great fun with this issue. In it we celebrate two Arizona Architects that have left a lasting mark in our State. One name you may recognize while the other one is a local hero that we feel deserves special attention. Starting with a wonderful read about Arizona’s Native son, Architect Bennie Gonzales, author David Brown celebrates this special man’s life with a number of unique remembrances. Scott Jarson, Editor
EDITOR / PUBLISHER
Debbie Jarson Scott Jarson CONTRIBUTORS
David Brown Andrew Jarson Walt Lockley ART DIRECTION
ps:studios inc. COVER IMAGE
DESERT COURTYARD Bill Timmerman
ADVERTISING
info@azarchitecture.com
READ THE CURRENT ISSUE ONLINE AT azarchitecture.com
Our contributor Walt Lockley honors another Arizona Architect Joe Wong, a humble man who’s work truly touched so many people living in the Scottsdale area from the 1950’s to today. The Architecture of the Guitar is one way to describe Luthiery. Without craft, these instruments would collapse under their own tension. This month we spotlight Arizona’s premier school of Luthiery and the artisans they produce. Finally, now that we are leaving our house cocoons and entering the world, we tell of a special secret place in Arizona to relax and enjoy this great desert we live in – Castle Hot Springs. We close this month with a tribute to a dear friend, not only to us, but to Architecture, Larry Woodin. His remarkable life could fill a single issue, but his passion and dedication leave an enduring legacy. All of us at azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson Real Estate respect the “life well lived”. If your life of beauty and design includes an extraordinary home, we can help you live it to the fullest. As the only Real Estate brokerage in Arizona that makes architecture a specialty, we hope to be of service. It’s all part of what we call Defining Desert Living!
azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson members are proud supporters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, The Arizona State University Art Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Taliesin Foundation Local First Arizona, and AIA Phoenix Metro Allied Member.
Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration strictly prohibited without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher does not assume responsibility for unsolicited submissions. Publisher assumes no liability for the information contained herein; all statements are the sole opinions of the contributors and/or advertisers.
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
IN THIS ISSUE IN HIS OWN WORDS
1
Editors Notes
ON THE SHELF
6
Coveted Books & Products
OUR UNIQUE VISUAL WEALTH
8
Bennie Gonzales. Arizona’s Legacy Architect
LOOKING BACK
18
JOE WONG
22
Designed Scottsdale
ON THE MARKET
30
DESIGN SPOTLIGHT
36
John Rattenbury
ROBERTO-VENN
38
School of Luthiery
CASTLE HOT SPRINGS
40
Dream Getaway
IN MEMORIAM
44
Larry Woodin
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
In the midst of our Valley there are cool, irrigated citrus groves in the shadow of Camelback Mountain, along with pockets of Spanish revival, adobe, and midcentury modern ranch homes. There are forests of giant saguaros in the foothills to the north, an area that is known for cutting-edge architecture, and rows of majestic date palms lining streets of historic homes in central Phoenix. All of this makes for a rich, urban landscape that includes modern in-fill architecture, loft projects and stunning high-rise towers. All coexisting within the dramatic backdrop of our unique Sonoran Desert. azarchitecture understands the contrasts and architectural nuances that set unique homes apart. From Frank Lloyd Wright to Case Study, Eames to Al Beadle, azarchitecture speaks the language of modern architecture.
6
PHOTOGRAPHY: Robert Murray
4
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
ON THE SHELF
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W e nde ll B u rn e tte A rch it ec t s , 5 1 0 2 No r t h Cen t r al Av en u e 5 Phoenix, AZ 85012 602.395.1091 wendell@wendellburnettearchitects.com 7
Bennie Gonzales Arizona’s Legacy Architect
OUR UNIQUE V ISUA L W E A LTH
DAVID M. BROWN 8
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
“
Everything Bennie did was great.
”
– James Elmore first dean of the ASU School of Architecture
Will Bruder, FAIA, met Bennie Gonzales (1924–2008),
“During a memorable and informative starlit evening,”
FAIA, in 1967 when he visited Arizona as an architectural
Bruder recalls, “he shared his evolving design philosophy
student to participate in the Silt Pile 7 Summer Workshop
and stories of his proposed designs for the Scottsdale City
at Paolo Soleri’s Cosanti on East Doubletree Ranch Road
Hall and Library Complex.”
in Paradise Valley. That landmark Civic Center project, which Gonzales Gonzales was one of the first two graduates of the recently
worked on from 1968 through 1975, ensured his
established ASU School of Architecture in Tempe; in doing
architectural legacy and helped establish the city as an
so, he became one of the state’s first Latino architects. The
important Southwest municipality and tourist destination.
Phoenix native had already completed his first commission,
The American Institute of Architects, Western Mountain
the Nogales Public Library (1961) in Nogales, Arizona, as
Region, gave it a 1st Honor Award in 1969. A half century
well as his Paradise Valley, Arizona, home (1966), just north
later, people continue to praise its welcoming architecture,
of the historic Hermosa Inn.
landscaping and lake.
After a day of pouring concrete in the stinging desert,
Another celebrated Valley architect, Doug Sydnor, FAIA,
Bruder and his workshop colleagues listened to Gonzales
already knew of Gonzales’ award-winning work when he
–– “tall, handsomely confident and dynamic” –– in the
was a Valley teenager in the mid-1960s. His dad, Reginald
South Apse Vault of Cosanti, now on Arizona’s Register of
Sydnor, AIA, was one of the Valley’s highly celebrated
Historic Places.
commercial architects. “Bennie actually came to my
10
Saguaro High School in Scottsdale on Career Day and in the large auditorium made a presentation about being an architect,” recalls Sydnor, principal of Doug Sydnor & Associates, Scottsdale. “He was tall, distinguished and well spoken.” For Scottsdale Realtor® Scott Jarson, Bennie Gonzales was one of the first architects he learned about while growing up in what was then remote Paradise Valley. “Wright came first, of course, and Soleri because he was a neighbor, but Gonzales came even before [Al] Beadle in my young architectural education,” explains Jarson, who is celebrating 30 years of Scottsdale-based azarchitecture/ Jarson & Jarson Real Estate with wife Debbie, their team of agents, and staff. The boutique real estate firm specializes in the sales of architecturally significant Arizona homes. “The area behind our house was open desert and completely undeveloped to the south of us, right up to the slope of Mummy Mountain,” he recalls. “As a child, this vast desert expanse was our playground.” Study the Southwest, Then Design in the But by 1966/67, the highly desirable area was being
Southwest
subdivided, new roads appeared and lots were staked and cleared for high-end homes. At first, Jarson was
During his four-decade-plus career, 1958–2000, Gonzales
“devastated” that the virgin desert was being bladed. But
completed 300 projects, including residential, commercial,
then Gonzales began building five of the homes in the
hospitality, educational, religious, and public commissions
nearby Bret Hills community (four remain) with burnt, that
and received 130-plus professional awards, Sydnor has
is, kiln-fired, adobe blocks.
documented.
Jarson was attracted to this material, used for centuries
Among these are the Scottsdale Conference Center,
in the Southwest; he watched the homes being built, then
Scottsdale Bible Church (now Temple Solel), the Maya
walked the sites. Here he met Gonzales on one spontaneous
and Los Cuatros apartments, Scottsdale; the Gloria Dei
visit, recalling: “He took the time to discuss the materials,
Church, Paradise Valley; the Ocotillo Branch Library, the
the control of the light in the desert and his design with a
1968 Heard Museum addition in Phoenix and the Arizona
ten-year-old kid.”
Medical Association Building; the masterplan for the Boulders Resort in Carefree, Arizona; Palm Desert
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
Civic Center in California; and the Woodlands Hotel
pyramids in Mesoamerica and the Native-American
and Information Center in Texas. That last mega-project
pueblos and cliff dwellings of the American Southwest. “Just
generated an invitation to build a $1.45-billion palace for
go down to Cancun and Oaxaca . . . and visit those ruins
King Khalid of Saudi Arabia.
because you’ll learn so much about architecture,” he noted in a 1996 interview.
“Of all his designs, I do love his residences,” Jarson says. “Those houses in Bret Hills became homes that I spent a
He often said the villages on the windy Hopi mesas of
lot of time in as I made friends with the children my age
northern Arizona are among the finest structures ever
who lived there. The spaces were beautifully scaled, the
built in the Southwest. These include Oraibi, A.D. 1100 ––
proportions spot on. Remarkably, Bennie took common
perhaps the oldest continually inhabited city in the country.
vernacular detail and made it modern, timeless.
More than eight centuries later, working with the Hopis in
“What’s more, these were desert houses, Arizona houses,
the 1970s, he built the Hopi Hotel, Museum and Cultural
places of shelter and masses firmly anchored to their sites,”
Center with simple concrete block walls, slab floors and a
he adds. “These are truly family homes of the first order
frame roof at $7 a square foot, remarkable even for that
and a rare find in such a new and transient place such as
time.
Phoenix and Scottsdale.” Throughout his career, his focus was affordability, longevity Although born when the International and Modern styles
and sensitivity to cultures and climate. “Gonzales was an
were steamrolling Europe and the United States, Gonzales
architect who struck an emotional chord by designing
was a Southwest regionalist, inspired by Native American,
structures that were responsive to the harsh conditions of
Mexican and Central American cultures.
the Sonoran Desert,” Sydnor has written.
He would tell his students at ASU, UA and the University
“Bennie had charisma, stature and common sense,” says
California at Berkeley: See the Aztec, Toltec and Mayan
Scottsdale architect David Ortega, who began as the city’s
12
first Latino mayor in January. A Tucson native, he grew up in
memorable summer of 1967, he visited a Gonzales-
Globe, graduated from the UA College of Architecture and
designed
home
in
Tacna,
Arizona,
near
Yuma.
began his first job in February 1978 working for Gonzales’ firm in Scottsdale.
“I was finally able to understand how his architectural awareness of the traditional northern Mexico courtyard
“He was always concerned about how architecture related
homes of wood and adobe, when blended with his sensitive
to the shading needs in the Southwest, including inset and
understanding of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian residential
sheltered windows,” he says. “And, rather than creating
designs, offered a much more comfortable and sustainable
traditional rectangular shapes, Bennie loved open angles
modern building language for the desert climate of Phoenix
in his signature buildings.”
than did the steel and glass modernism of Southern California’s temperate climate ‘Case Study’ designs,” he
Barney ‘BJ’ Gonzales, a real estate industry professional
recalls, noting that after studying Gonzales’ work the two
and resident at the Cattle Track Arts Compound in
became friends.
Scottsdale, notes, “My dad was a regional architect who always remembered where he was when he was designing
“The creative simplicity of his inventive floor plans, his
a home or any other building. When he was on the Hopi
masterful use of massive materials, and his concern for
lands in northern Arizona, he designed accordingly as he
strategies to minimize the sun’s heat transfer of summer
did for a project in the desert. The Woodlands complex in
were all lessons already evident in his first house for himself
Texas is completely different from the work he did in the
and his family,” explains Bruder, who now lives and works
Valley.”
in Portland, Oregon. “His architecture at its best was both of its time and its place with significant lessons still
He brought the same awareness to his home designs.
adaptable to our contemporary interests in timeless design
After Bruder completed his work at Cosanti in that
and sustainable efficiency.”
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
Images top left to right: The Gonzales home as it appears today. The original home has been well kept with modest changes. The original interior versus today; timeless material choices have not aged. The architect and a model of one of his memorable and ambitious projects. Gonzales could work at scale: The Scottsdale Civic Complex is an excellent example. 14
The Home on Palo Cristi
stand on top of their car. Then they would conjure up their dream house in their mind’s eye and plan it like a mirage in
The highly regarded Palo Cristi Drive home was the second
the desert.” They built it for $60,000.
one for Bennie, Lupe and their children, Barney and Bianca Gonzales in Paradise Valley. The first, at the northwest
Says Nancy Swanson, who has owned the home for
corner of Invergordon Road and McDonald Drive began as
approximately 25 years: “I had contact with both Bennie
a 1930s Robert T. Evans Pueblo-Revival-style design, with
and his wife Lupe through the years. I treasured his artistic
Gonzales making changes. Widely published, including
skills. The house lived well; it still does. So many of my
in Architectural Record, the historic home was recently
guests still say, ‘This is my favorite house.’”
restored, a guest quarters added and new landscaping placed. It’s being considered for the National Register of
Sydnor’s parents attended parties there, and Sydnor toured
Historic Places.
it once. “I found it to be a large home but with an intimate and comfortable scale,” he explains. “The plan was knitted
The 5600 North Palo Cristi Road home was extensively
together by a wide pleasant hallway bathed in natural day
published, including in the February 10, 1967,Life (“In
lighting via dark wood-stained louvers. The floors were
the Desert, a Hacienda for1967”) and Sunset magazines,
a Saltillo tile, and the walls were white mortar-washed
helping to publicize the new Southwest lifestyle.
concrete slump block units. The interior spaces connected well with the outdoor patios and courtyard. Exterior building
Jordan Bonfante, the Life writer, noted the architect’s
forms were flat roofed and complemented by pitched roof
attention to the site: “When Bennie and Lupe Gonzales
forms, which were a visual reference to the surrounding
determined to build themselves a bigger and finer home
mountains.”
two years ago, they used to drive out to the site they’d chosen on the flats of Paradise Valley outside Phoenix and
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
a builder with Gonzales’ uncle, who had gifted his nephew a toy hammer and building blocks when he was a boy. Gonzales’ mother was French, Irish and Mexican; the family’s menfolk had made livings in construction and as railway workers. Her brother-in-law, Santiago L. Cahill, was a Phoenix contractor. Her great granduncle, in fact, worked for the Central Pacific Railroad and was at Promontory Point, Utah Territory, on May 10, 1869, when the golden spike was driven in conjunction with the Union Pacific, completing the world’s first transcontinental railroad. After graduating from Phoenix Union High School, Gonzales served in the Coast Guard during World War II. After the war, he studied at ASU and later at the University of Mexico, with the help of Jim Elmore, the first dean of the Architecture School at ASU, which Elmore had encouraged him to attend in the 1950s. While in Mexico, Gonzales was influenced by architects Luis Barragán and Félix Candela, as well as early native builders. Sydnor adds: “It was a very fresh and contemporary interpretation of Southwestern ruins and an architecture
He and his second wife, Diane, lived in his final home
suited to the Sonoran Desert. The construction methods,
beginning in 1988. The 3,000-square-foot home, on a
local natural materials, wall-like character that minimized
five-acre niche in the foothills of the border city of Nogales,
window areas and his sculptural skills set it apart among the
was built with found and reclaimed materials, such as the
Arizona architecture of that time.”
steel trusses from an old barn. It was sited on a gold mine that had been built by Chinese laborers at the turn of the
Farmhouse & Fame
20th century. Gonzales used to joke: “A geologist tells me that if I dig down 1,000 feet, I won’t have to work anymore!”
Bennie Gonzales was born in what was then the northern boundary of Phoenix, 20th Street and Osborn Road in
The Gonzales Legacy
1924. The family lived in a one-bedroom farmhouse with an outdoor bath and toilet. In downtown Phoenix, he sold
“Bennie was a true talent and character,” recalls Janie Ellis,
newspapers, including to businessman George H.N. Luhrs,
whose family has owned the Cattle Track Arts Compound
who owned the masterpiece Trost & Trost-designed Luhrs
in Scottsdale for 80-plus years. Her former husband,
Tower, where Gonzales would later open his first office,
Wilson Jones, once worked for Gonzales, and she held the
Gonzales and Ludlow, in 1958. This company became
architect’s memorial service at Cattle Track. “He really did
Bennie M. Gonzales Associates, Inc. two years later.
contribute to Scottsdale’s standing in this country,” she says. His spirit remains in his great body of work. Says Sydnor,
He also made adobe bricks in the backyard; these were
“His architecture simply reminds us all of an important and
then transported to jobsites. His father, of German, Mexican
appropriate architecture for this special place in the desert.
and Indian background, was a saloon-keeper, farmer then
It did respond to this climate, sun angles, specific sites,
16
“I had contact with both Bennie and Lupe though the years. I treasured his artistic skills. The house lived well, it still does. So many guests still say “This is my favorite house!”
program and local construction methods and materials.”
– current owner
“Bennie was a visionary but he saw himself as a ‘practical practitioner’ instead,” she says. “Having started his career
And Bruder, “The creative simplicity of his inventive floor
in construction,he understood architecture from the ground
plans, his masterful use of massive materials and his
up. He embraced regionalism, so his structures fit beautifully
concern for strategies to minimize the sun’s heat transfer
into each diverse landscape and environment in which they
of summer were all lessons already evident in his house
were designed and are therefore timeless and enduring.”
for himself and his family on Palo Cristi. His architecture at its best was both of its time and its place, with significant
Jarson says: “Bennie Gonzales was our native-son architect,
lessons still adaptable to our contemporary interests in
someone with an eye and a design voice uniquely about,
timeless design and sustainable efficiency.”
and from, Arizona. “Bennie left such a great mark on this town and, indeed, the Valley.
Shawn Rush’s father, James, had helped hire Gonzales for the Woodlands project just north of Houston in the 1970s.
“There is so much of Gonzales’ work that perhaps goes
Bennie was involved with the information center, hotel,
unnoticed, or at least taken for granted. Because he was
commercial center, office buildings and apartment projects.
so widely copied, I’m always concerned that some may not know what they are looking at, confusing his genuine work
The men became friends. “He loved the design profession
with those lesser imitations,” he says. “And that’s so much
as both an artist and architect, and it was with Bennie’s
more reason why our community cannot afford to lose a
encouragement that I applied to design school and 35
single one of his original designs.”
years later find myself still practicing,” says Rush, who has lived in and renovated a Ralph Haver home and an Alfred
David Brown is a Valley-based freelancer (azwriter.com). This
Beadle unit, both in Phoenix. She was bequeathed a pastel
is the third in an ongoing series celebrating Arizona’s “Visual
Gonzales had painted of one of his favorite hill towns – a
Wealth.”
work that is a centerpiece in each of her homes.
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
LOOOKING BACK
A year in Architecture - A collection of the most interesting sales of the last year
SOLD HISTORIC PAR ADISE VALLE Y ADOBE ESTATE This charming Adobe home estate in the heart of Paradise Valley features a total renovation and stunning architectural updates, making it one of the most unique homes available today: originally a 1928 adobe guest ranch, this charming complex of adobe structures was named “La Casita de Maria” by the original owners. Today this very special home was been totally renovated, expanded and restored to perfection. READ MORE
Price: $4,150,000
SOLD DESERT CONTE MPOR A RY MODERN ESTATE – CMDA DESIGN BURE AU Featuring a complete 2009 rebuild, this home designed by Riccardo Cattapan/CMDA Design Bureau, offers Desert Contemporary design that captures the view! Nestled on a 5 acre lot, this home is surrounded by unspoiled natural desert and a unique volcanic boulder field in northeast Scottsdale. Luxurious textures and playful finishes bring joy to every space. READ MORE
Price: $3,175,000
Architecturally Unique Homes
®
SOLD PA R A DISE VA LLE Y C A MEL VIE W MODERN - ROSS DESIGN GROUP A modern home with outstanding Camelback Mountain Views is a dream for many. This home in the heart of Paradise Valley is just that! Located in one of the most desirable neighborhoods, it harbors all of the in-demand features for today’s lifestyle. From the beautiful white aggregate honed faced block, to the crisp detail of the steel fascia and overhangs, this home presents a timeless desert modern design. READ MORE
Price: $2,950,000
SOLD C A MELBACK MOUNTAIN MODERN – K AISERWORKS A RCHITEC TURE Located on the south side of Phoenix’s iconic Camelback Mountain, this fully renovated contemporary design now showcases grand views of the surrounding desert landscape without forfeiting privacy or its ranch-style heritage. The large north-facing clerestory window dramatically brings the mountain into the great room. Stacking sliders serve to extend the living area into the outside. READ MORE
Price: $2,226,510
azarchitecture.com
480.425.9300
3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251
All figures and measurements approximate: subject to error, omissions, withdrawal, prior sale and approval of purchase by owner. Copyright 2021 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.
LOOKING BACK
Property Listings | azarchitecture.com
SOLD MODERN EQUESTRIA N M A NOR — THE CONSTRUC TION ZONE A RCHITEC T This stunning custom design combines true Modern Architecture with a pallet of materials that makes this home a perfect backdrop for easy living. Highest quality craftsmanship is evident throughout: This house was designed and built by The Construction Zone, one of the Valley’s premier custom architectural design/build contractors. READ MORE
Price: $2,000,000
SOLD R A M A DA HOUSE, JUDITH CH A FFEE FAIA Widely considered one of the most architecturally significant homes in Arizona, the “Ramada House” by Tucson Architect Judith Chaffee FAIA was completed in 1975. located in the Santa Catalina Foothills of Tucson this home was is on the National register of Historic Places. The Buyers were introduced by azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson as the referring Broker; sale was closed by Long Realty Company. READ MORE
Price: $1,900,000
Architecturally Unique Homes
®
SOLD DESERT MODERN, B ILTMORE CORRIDOR — B ENNIE GONZ A LES A RCHITEC T This gorgeous Biltmore Area Desert Home is attributed to Arizona Architect Bennie Gonzales. This serene desert home is nestled near Biltmore and Piestewa Peak which includes signature views of the mountain preserves and provides you easy access to all of central Phoenix that includes cultural events, museum and world class shopping and resorts. READ MORE
Price: $1,500,000
SOLD MODERN C A MELBACK MOUNTAIN SA NC TUA RY – C W A RCHITEC TURE A modern sanctuary at the foot of Camelback Mountain! This bright and sophisticated Contemporary home is in one of Paradise Valley’s most desirable pockets. An abode defined by subdued sophistication, the home offered an interior of rich materiality, with walls of black basalt tile and rolled steel. This “Heart of Paradise Valley” location offers a glorious setting. READ MORE
Price: $5,000,000
azarchitecture.com
480.425.9300
3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251
All figures and measurements approximate: subject to error, omissions, withdrawal, prior sale and approval of purchase by owner. Copyright 2021 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.
JOE WONG
DESIGNED SCOTTSDALE WALT LOCKLEY
The Carefree Sundial, in Carefree, Arizona, was designed by architect Joe Wong and solar engineer John I. Yellott (1908-1986),[ and was erected in the Sundial Circle plaza in 1959.
22
Nobody has more work in Scottsdale. With an estimated 550 buildings to his name from about 1953 through his retirement in November 1998.
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
Before the Valley
Funny Little Crossroads Goes West
Joe Bing Wong (August 17, 1921 - March 12, 2011) was
Scottsdale was a working farming town, and had also
born in the copper-country town of Clifton in southeastern
been the hub of various art colonies and resorts, and
Arizona, fifth of eight children of a first-generation
other such orbiting enterprises hard to classify, since
Chinese immigrant owner of a restaurant and general
roughly 1900. The Jokake Inn had hosted both John C.
store. Those copper towns were, and are, continually
Lincoln and Frank Lloyd Wright as guests, and so Taliesin
swelling,
West sprouted in 1937 and the Lincoln’s Camelback Inn
shrinking,
vanishing
entirely
sometimes,
depending on commodity prices. Clifton’s population
in 1938.
had peaked in 1910. By Wong’s own description he went through “all the schools” in Clifton.
The usual story is that Scottsdale as a western town, a rootin’ tootin’ outpost, the West’s Most Western Town,
In 1940 the family moved to California. Joe Wong started
goes all the way back to 1947. All this western thing, it’s
at UC Berkeley in the biochemistry program, then, after
a fabricated identity, put onto an ordinary midwestern-
persuasion from one of his brothers already in the
looking cotton-growing town.
School of Architecture, architecture. The war interrupted Wong’s studies; he spent time in Hawaii, under the
The choice of western cladding was – smart. By definition,
General Engineering & Structural Design organization
it’s a cheap vernacular look, easy to accomplish, easy
(1941-1945) and the U.S. Army Engineers, Structural &
to remodel…instantly familiar to anybody who’s seen a
Utilities Branch (1943-1945), refitting commandeered
Hollywood western. There was enough ”design” wiggle
commercial ocean liners over to military use.
room to allow for the likes of venerable haunts like the Pink Pony to coexist with the “Lulu Belle” looking like it
Demobilized, he attended the California School of Fine
dropped in from 1890’s San Francisco.
Arts in San Francisco and began working too. He found a job at the established Bay Area firm of Higgins and Root
When Scottsdale incorporated In June 1951, partly as
in 1946, where Bill Hall was his friend and co-worker.
a defense against annexation, that phrase “The West’s
In 1950 Wong and Hall both assisted on the design of
Most Western Town” went on the town seal. The first of
the Sunset Magazine headquarters at 80 Willow Road
the cowboy signs at city limits went up in 1952.
in Menlo Park, a design considered iconic (by Sunset Magazine anyway) and exemplary of certain postwar
Joe Wong arrived at this “funny little crossroads” in
Bay Area ranch house values. It was a lovably overgrown
September 1953, at the age of 32. The town had
ranch house, in fact, co-designed by Cliff May, with the
about 2000 people, with three or four sets of needs: It
landscape architect Thomas Church.
was a farming town serving mostly small-scale cotton agriculture. It was the town closest to desert resorts
By 1953 Wong had married Lillian, ran the drafting
attracting affluent winter visitors. It was the center
room at Higgins and Root, and felt he’d risen as far as he
of a collection of loosely orbiting art colonies, which
could go. As they were looking for a small town to build
overlapped with high-quality local craftsmen, native and
a career in, Bill Hall told them about Scottsdale, a “lazy,
otherwise.
beautiful little area” of about 2500 people. He and Hall came to Scottsdale together. 24
This town put some contradictory demands on Joe Wong.
Above: The McCune Building, 600 N. Old Scottsdale Road, 1957. The facade decorations are credited to Tucson illustrator Charlene Bisch. Right: From restaurant to retail, Wong’s expressive designs are still sought after and in use today.
Wong Comes to Scottsdale
his first commercial jobs was at Lulu Belle’s, with that exaggerated Barbary Coast interior decor, for Tom
In September 1953 Wong and his friend Bill Hall
Darlington.
both went to work for Hiram Hudson Benedict. Wong worked on three buildings: the pro shop and the “Old
In 1957 the very rich patron Walker McCune hired Wong
Homestead” at the Paradise Valley Country Club, and
for a two-story commercial building at 600 N. Old
the Paradise Valley Racquet Club, today we know it as
Scottsdale Road (razed after 1977) for the execution of
the Sanctuary Resort.
McCune’s real estate business. This was just south of the Pottery Paradise property, recently vanished, which had
After Benedict he started the partnership “Wong & Hall:
once been a solitary desert-themed roadside attraction
Joe B. Wong, Architect,” (June 1954-56) at the address
from a different day and road logic, the only building on
7229 First Avenue in the Feltman Building, a cramped
that side of Scottsdale when built in 1950.
ten-by-ten office space. This stretch of road was freshly designated “Pima Plaza” with big promotional street
McCune’s building barged in to join it, next door,
signs and everything. Wong counted himself one of the
aggressively colorful, blasting its brassy native colors
longest-running tenants in downtown. The first three
into the street. Some eye-catching work on that thing.
architects of Scottsdale were Benedict, Ray Parrish and
A mention in the Arizonian of 3/8/57 calls it a Class
himself, followed by Don Van Ess as number four.
A construction job – steel and concrete, fireproof, with a high-velocity air conditioning system. The facade
There were three or four well-funded important movers
decorations are actually credited to Tucson illustrator
and shakers in Scottsdale, in a tight social circle. Within
Charlene Bisch, and also concrete panels designed by
a short time Wong was working for all of them. One of
a comically uncooperative Scottsdale retiree named
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
Don Barclay, best known locally for his caricatures
Nobody was more willing to take on small jobs in a
adorning the walls of the Pink Pony.
small town: small-stakes commercial work, remodels, expansions, extensions, modest buildings for city parks.
In 1961 Wong finished his single most significant
“Wong said he felt that his was the job of filling the need
building – the Scottsdale Police and City Court Building –
for a practicing architect in a small town. ‘We are willing
designed with Ray Parrish, Don Van Ess, and Stan Stein.
and able to do anything and everything.’” (AZ Republic
Scottsdale had never had a jail before.
6/10/62)
Joe Wong dropping those two buildings, by themselves,
Whatever the opposite of a helicopter architect is, Joe
these two plum commissions in a small town, would have
Wong was.
established his credentials. He had varied interests. His biography suggests an But that’s not the main thing.
amazing amount of social energy. He was a restaurateur, for one thing. In 1962 with Jack Song he designed and opened China Lil’s, named for Lili, in a modest adobe brick building with a pedicab and a large-scale grinning cartoon Chinese cowboy out front. (It was some bold theming. Readers will have their own reactions. At one point the city decided that cartoon Chinese cowboy didn’t fit Scottsdale’s vibe, and they told Jack Song to take it down. Jack Song said – nah.) In 1967 Wong designed the Emperor’s Garden restaurant at 28 E. First Avenue for a couple of clients, but he ended up operating that restaurant too. Plus Lili ran her own associated business, an interior design business. Wong was, by far, the architect most involved in the local official scene, participating – enthusiastically – in an abundant number of civic organizations. Out on horseback with the Scottsdale Charros since November
Western Wong
1961, the Lions Club, the Rotarians, the Boys’ Club, on the library board, Toastmasters, the local Design Review
The main thing is, Joe Wong designed Scottsdale.
Board, the Building and Fire Advisory Board, along with various other professional achievements.
Nobody has more work in Scottsdale. With an estimated 550 buildings to his name from about 1953 through
One of his very first commercial jobs was an expansion
his retirement in November 1998, and only a handful
of Lute’s Pharmacy, the old Scottsdale stalwart, a working
elsewhere, Wong ran a successful practice for four
pharmacy, one of the handful of businesses in town,
decades, rooted in the same place with decades-long
and a place where tourists naturally drifted in to watch
friendships. Nobody was more involved with the needs
the sand-painters working there on the concrete floor.
of the community.
No other designer came close to such a ground-level
26
Wong was involved with number of Scottsdale Unified School District Design including Hopi, Tonto Elementary (now demolished), Paiute and worked on Kiva Elementary along with David G. Haumerson. Wong’s venerable Brooks Building on 5th Avenue is recognized as the “Clock Tower Building” adding a modern landmark to an otherwise historic eclectic.
understanding of how these four overlapping identities
tingling with potential, the years when its urban fabric
of Scottsdale – farming town, seasonal resort hub, center
and civic personality set into permanent form. Wong was
for Southwestern art / craft / retail, all dressed like the
the one who took those vague westernizing wishes of the
Wild West – could actually work. For a few years, from
Chamber of Commerce and Malcolm White, and made
soon after his arrival in 1953 until an event in June 1965,
them real.
Joe Wong was the official town architect of Scottsdale in all but name. In those years Scottsdale was an adolescent
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
We have Joe Wong to thank for the gently meandering walkways that adorn Scottsdale’s West Main Street. Literally the birthplace of the gallery “Art Walk”.
Located just east of Scottsdale Road on Main Street, the Lulu Belle Restaurant opened in the mid-1950s, and quickly became “the” place to see and be seen in The West’s Most Western Town.
It’s one thing to say, “make the town all western,” but
that. One of them was a western theme for the O’Brien
translating this into physical reality became a tricky
Art Emporium relocation to Scottsdale in 1956. Another
fight. The nature of “western” was stretchy, and where
was an expansion for Saba’s in 1964.
exactly were the boundaries? This was a live controversy when Wong moved in. By 1955 or so, there was a strong
Wong elaborated in a 1963 opinion piece “Some
argument for the western cladding thing: it was obviously
Questions for Scottsdale” (Progress, 9/7/1963), where
working. It was making money.
he quoted Sigfried Giedion about this question of authenticity: “The approach to the past only becomes
Somehow this little town with no industry, no railroad
creative when the architect is able to enter into its inner
access, no resources apart from the hot sun which fell
meaning and content. It degenerates into a dangerous
equally on everybody for free, began to make money.
pastime when one is merely hunting for form.”
Through the pages of the weekly Arizonian you can see the four identities of Scottsdale begin to coil together,
In his oral history Wong says a few words about a pro
four strands in a braided rope pulling buckets of cash
bono pedestrian project for the city, spanning what is
out of a dry well. The western architectural theme,
now the 7000 and 7100 blocks of West Main.
aimed especially at the tourists, was definitely part of this publicity engine.
“One of our gifts to the City was the development of that West Main Street area. They had come to us, asking that
Wong was an enthusiastic participant in the westernization,
we try to do something to beautify the area and spark it
producing, for instance, a remodel of the two-story office
up a little bit. And they thought we could do something
building at 29 Pima Plaza, complete with board-and-
with the space between the street and the stores. So we
batten front, “gingerbread” gable, and double-hung
gave them a general plan for the whole area, with the
windows, all on-motif. (Republic, 2/4/62) You can bet
sidewalks meandering around the way they do now… the
your favorite saddle blanket Wong produced a dozen,
greenery and shrubbery that was put in did help the area
two dozen, western-themed commercial remodels like
quite a bit.”
28
Joe Wong designed more than 500 buildings in this young
Maybe I’m mistaken, but I want to ascribe that to Joe
growing town, and set the young bones of its streets and
Wong.
its pedestrian environment on Main, on Fifth Avenue, in Pima Plaza and wherever else. Retail always tries hard to be engaging and friendly, but the Scottsdale galleries had particular needs that were part of Wong’s lived experience, all day every day. These weren’t mall shops with quick transactions. The special challenge in Scottsdale with the winter tourist trade was to encourage the personal interaction, to build in a certain whimsical suspension of disbelief that the gallery and shop owners depended on.
Arizona Republic ad for Paradise Country Estates, with a designer credit to Alfred Beadle & Associates and an architect credit to Wong & Hall. Ran Feb 27, 1955
Old Town still has that funny theatricality. It might be its defining characteristic and biggest asset. Stroll through it today, you can still feel it on your shoulders, pulling you onwards, this way and that. There’s an overall feeling in the fabric of the irregular streets, among the modest, funny-looking, underbuilt shops, a feeling that you needn’t take any of this seriously.
Still in active use today, Wong’s Stagebrush Theatre still stands as a human-scaled building soon to be dwarfed by large scale development.
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
ON THE MARKET
Property Listings | azarchitecture.com
FOR SALE PINN ACLE VIE W RESIDENCE - A LLEN+PHILP PA RTNERS This iconic Allen+Philp designed contemporary home, nestled alongside the western slope of Troon Mountain offers crisp architectural details subtly reflecting the geography of Pinnacle Peak Mountain, the local canyons, desert vistas, and surrounding wildlife. Sweeping views will stop you in your tracks as you gaze at the astounding beauty of the high desert. READ MORE
Price: $1,999,999
COMING SOON PA R A DISE VA LLE Y TR A DITION A L – FULL GUEST HOUSE This elegant Paradise Valley traditional estate-style home with a FULL Guest House has the location you want with the luxury amenities you need! A classic and timeless design and material palette with a livable, smart floor plan. The main home has all you expect in a home of this caliber; The Guest House has all of the important facets for full time livability as well. READ MORE
Price: $3,995,000
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COMING SOON HIDDEN VA LLE Y DESERT HOUSE – WENDELL BURNE T TE FAIA Desert Modern Architecture: Located on a five-acre gently sloping rise in Cave Creek, the Hidden Valley Desert House is a “long pavilion for living” that commands the site. Designed by Wendell Burnette FAIA, this very special home offers superb materials, detailed construction and a unique plan to make it simply a masterwork of living design. READ MORE
Price: $2,495,000
COMING SOON LOF T-LIVING! MOUNTAIN SH A DOWS RESORT – A LLEN+PHILP PA RTNERS This 2-bedroom loft-home has been immaculately upgraded by the architect-owner with features and detail typically not found elsewhere! Mountain Shadows Resort offers an exclusive lifestyle: situated with Camelback Mountain as a breathtaking backdrop, the community has just 41 condo and loft homes that enjoy a serene Paradise Valley setting and full privileges at Mountain Shadows Resort. Available furnished.
Price: $1,649,000. READ MORE
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3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251
All figures and measurements approximate: subject to error, omissions, withdrawal, prior sale and approval of purchase by owner. Copyright 2021 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.
ON THE MARKET
Property Listings | azarchitecture.com
FOR SALE 360 º VIE WS! CLE A RWATER HILL S MOUNTAIN TOP! Want views? Imagine witnessing every sunset & every sunrise! This pristine 2-acre(+-) hillside lot is ready for an exceptional build to match the location. Cleared, flat building pad, driveway and utilities already in, just waiting for the design-oriented perfectionist who deserves to have it all. This is THE crown jewel property of Clearwater Hills. (Design concept only. ©A-I-R-Architects) READ MORE
Price: $4,995,000
SALE PENDING PA L M C A NYON HILL SIDE MODERN — EDWA RD B. SAW YER FAIA This Modern Hillside home was designed by Edward B. (Ned) Sawyer FAIA and offers spectacular views coupled with superb architecture. Perfectly positioned near the top of Palm Canyon, the home commands the site with sweeping vistas of both surrounding mountain preserves and the city lights beyond. READ MORE
Price: $2,995,000
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COMING SOON NORTH CENTR A L MODERN: WENDELL BURNE T TE FAIA This elegant remodel of a Haver mid-century home within the Marlen Grove neighborhood was completed by Wendell Burnette Architects. Without sacrificing the history of the home, the design creates privacy and openness. Indoor/outdoor Arizona living at its’ finest. Calm interiors and exquisite detailing make this a minimalist’s dream.
Price: $1,249,000
ACCEPTING BACK-UP OFFERS MODERN A RC A DIA HOME – DESIGN RE MODEL This beautiful home is sure to WOW! The custom-built, Modern Styled house has gorgeous interiors and charming exteriors. Located in the desirable Arcadia Neighborhood, this property has a 3,569 SF. main house and a 525 SF. guest house. The guest house was updated in 2019 with new cabinets, new countertops, water softeners and more. READ MORE
Price: $2,495,000
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All figures and measurements approximate: subject to error, omissions, withdrawal, prior sale and approval of purchase by owner. Copyright 2021 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.
ON THE MARKET
Property Listings | azarchitecture.com
SALE PENDING CLE A RWATER HILL S MID CENTURY – GEORGE H A LL This mid-century modern home has been prepared for a complete remodel/renovation. The award-winning architect owner has started on the path of renovation taking this home down to clean stud walls and exposing all the original detailing and elements. Sporting an unequalled view, this home can be completed to nearly every imaginable level- Designed in 1959 by LA Architect George Hall, the home has a ship-like essence. READ MORE
Price: $1,895,000
FOR SALE OWN THE VA LLE Y! M AGNIFICENT R A NCH ACRE AGE An unbelievable opportunity, this pristine 150-acre site (+-) is located in the cool environs of Yarnell AZ. Escape to 5000ft elevations and sweeping vistas of natural landscape, all an easy drive away! This very special parcel is stunning in its beauty, geography and setting. With improved access yet unspoiled acreage, the vast potential of this parcel is nearly unlimited. READ MORE
Price: $ 749,000.
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COMING SOON LOLOM A 5 – WILL B RUDER FAIA Loloma 5 is downtown living at its finest. Considered a masterpiece of desert modernism, this award winning building is located in Scottsdale’s Loloma Arts District, Highly upgraded, this city-home offers mixed-use, den/office, 2 bedrooms, roof terrace, and a view patio aligned with Camelback Mtn and immaculate updated interiors.
Price: $789,000
FOR SALE PRD845 LOF T STUDIO- STUDIO M A A RCHITEC TS Affordable Architecture! This award-winning Modern Loft-Style Studio is located in an exciting project that defined the Downtown Experience! Located next to Roosevelt Historic & Arts District, and just a short walk from the Light-Rail, great restaurants and museums. This urban-hip 1-bedroom open floor plan Studio combines Modern Architecture with light-filled spaces & eco-sensitive design. READ MORE
Price: $ 399,995
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3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251
All figures and measurements approximate: subject to error, omissions, withdrawal, prior sale and approval of purchase by owner. Copyright 2021 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.
DESIGN SPOTLIGHT
John Rattenbury / Talieson Architects
The Myers Residence, Scottsdale, Arizona Arizona is full of surprises. Rounding each corner in our
this home and it is impressive to this day; one of his finest
desert can lead you to new discoveries of nature…and so it
works.
is with architecture as well. The Myers Residence seems to grow out of the hill. Located In the 1990’s our firm was associated with Taliesin Architects
at the foot of Pinnacle Peak this Wright protégé used his
where we created a Design/Build program to further the
acumen to design a home of continuous curves that nestled
design and construction of homes that expressed that firms
into this boulder strewn environ. At approximately 10,000
unique connection to Wright and organic architecture.
square feet, the design belies its size in using multiple roof forms to break up the mass, and provides a sense
Led by Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice and Taliesin Architects
of individual shelters amongst the landscape. Decorative
co-founder, John Rattenbury, we developed a number of
details echo the shapes, forms and colors of the desert. This
client relationships which culminated into some wonderful
home remains timeless and one of a kind.
design concepts and homes. The inspiration at the heart of this endeavor was the completion of the Charles and Alta
Rattenbury passed away on March 28, 2021 at the age of
Myer Residence located in the North Scottsdale Desert
93. The Myers house endures, a graceful statement and
Highlands community. Rattenbury was the lead architect on
lasting monument to his talent.
36
Call for future availability of this home.
37
THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE GUITAR
ROBERTO-VENN SCHOOL OF LUTHIERY By Scott Jarson Those who know me well know that along with architecture, guitars are a shared passion in my life. And so it is that I have come to love, play and collect guitars. Just as in buildings, fine instruments combine engineering, materials, and the hand of the maker to create objects of beauty and joy. From my earliest days as a college art student nee acoustic guitar player, there was always one additional aspiration that called to me…that of Luthier. A Luthier is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word “luthier” is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. So far, the time for guitar building in my life has eluded me, but I remember the place that I eyed with envy back in 1975. A WWII Quonset hut in Tempe, the humble home of Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery. Today, the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery is the longest running guitar making school in North America. From humble roots grew one of the nation’s best schools, placing a spotlight on Arizona as source of luthier excellence. Now located in an historic building on Grand Avenue in Phoenix, you’ll find a state-of-the-art shop and classrooms. The core course taught at Roberto-Venn is a five month program designed to teach the skills Images courtesy of Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery
38
The Solace - Scott Walker Guitars (Alumni) scottwalkerguitars.com
for a career in guitar making, guitar repair, and related
Fender, PRS, and Collings. These and many other smaller
skills. Students learn first hand everything from set-up
guitar making companies and repair facilities often reach
and repair to full construction. Using the finest of woods
out to Roberto-Venn with positions to fill.
and traditional tools coupled with precision fabrication standards of today, the school offers a complete “ hands-
These last few years have been difficult for so many people
on” experience in the tradition of fine apprenticeships.
around the world. One silver lining is that in the world of guitars, there has been a dramatic increase in guitar
Students and graduates from Roberto-Venn have gone on
playing, which has brought a whole new awareness to the
to form their own shops, becoming highest level creators of
guitar as a tool for expression, relaxation and healing.
guitars. You may not know it, but the hand that made the
And yes, lots of guitars have come out from storage, and
most prized guitar in your home may very well have been
that “new and old” pastime has dramatically increased the
a Roberto-Venn trained craftsperson. In fact, their current
repair tech’s work for setups, maintenance and restoration
Guitar Making & Repair Class students have received more
of old gems, in addition to new guitar sales. Enter the well
job offers than any class in their 46 year history.
trained Roberto-Venn luthier.
Roberto-Venn’s staff is proud to acknowledge their
If you love guitars and are interested in a new career or
achievement of being named a ‘School of Distinction’ and
perhaps you are ready to pursue a dream of craft that
the top award of ‘School of Excellence’. Roberto-Venn has
fulfills your life, check out their website – roberto-venn.com.
been accredited since 1979.
They’ve been training professional guitar makers and repair techs since 1975. Hey, if not for life’s many paths, it might
They are well respected in the industry and receive
have included me as an early graduate!
personal visits from the big names in guitars like Gibson, Roberto-Venn.com
CASTLE HOT SPRINGS By Debbie Jarson
40 years is a long time to spend with one person and
Just a hair over an hour and down roads I’d never
even longer when you work with them on a daily basis.
ventured, past wild burros and desert vistas of long ago,
35 years ago I found myself pregnant and working
we arrived at the humble gates and were welcomed in
full time selling Real Estate. I knew then that when this
to a fairy tale world I had no idea existed. We were
baby decided to show up, I was going to need a break.
greeted warmly, provided with a fruity drink made
Not sure how I was going to handle the enormous
from ingredients grown on the grounds, and led to our
work load I had as well as a new baby, I turned to my
private cottage that was the perfect home away from
husband who was transitioning from a successful career
home. The cottages include fireplaces inside and out,
in International Produce sales to finding his passion in
a deluxe room with the most comfortable bed I’ve ever
life. A new world opened up for us working in the listing
slept in away from home, baths complete with bidets
and sales of Architecturally Unique Homes.
and an outdoor heated concrete tub with mineral water direct from the local hot springs. It is apparent
Time has flown by and in January we saw our 40th
that relaxation is a goal of the resort from the time you
wedding anniversary quickly arriving. But, confined by
walk in to the time you leave. Best of all cell phones
the current limitations of the virus and an extremely
are discouraged.
busy Real Estate business, we knew we wouldn’t be able to go anywhere exotic. A friend mentioned a place
While relaxing is key, there are numerous activities
just a hop, skip and a jump away that had the ability
available included in the cost of the stay and those
to rest one’s mind and soul if only for a couple of days.
for a tad more. You can tour an impressive garden
And thus Castle Hot Springs became the destination
decked out with what you’ll see on your plate that very
we chose to celebrate our important day.
evening, ride horses through the majestic mountains,
40
take your pick of numerous hikes as well as archery,
Schlitz Brewery, and Ford Motors. Ownership was
western shooting, and relaxation activities ranging from
then passed over to Franz and Mae Sue Talley (Talley
meditation to Tai Chi and Yoga and so much more. And
Industries) where the resort thrived under their ownership.
best of all you can end your day with a relaxing outdoor
But tragedy befelled the resort in 1976 when it was
massage and time in all of the natural hot springs.
devastated by fire and left in ruins. The resort was gifted to the ASU foundation and subsequently sold in 1983.
One activity I highly recommend is a short film on the
But greatness was recognized by Mike and Cindy Watts
history of the resort https://www.castlehotsprings.com/
who invested deeply in a sensitive restoration of one of
castle-hot-springs-documentary/. Castle Hot Springs,
Arizona’s greatest secrets. Kudos to architects Kevin and
located in the impressive Bradshaw Mountains, started
Doug Edwards as well as Interiors by Valerie Borden who
inviting guests in the late 1800’s. A rail line was built
together brought this gem back to life for all to enjoy.
and guests from as far as Philadelphia were invited in to partake in a “Grand Hotel to rival any hot springs on
We all know that a place cannot thrive based on looks
the continent” in addition to a “glorious winter climate”
and amenities. It is the people who give it wings. This is
as told in the film. The hot pools went in at the turn of
recognized at Castle Hot Springs. All that you meet are
the century. This led to visitors considered icons of the
as friendly as if you’ve known them a lifetime. Smiles are
gilded age. WWII kept people from traveling due to
abundant and they always have time to talk to you. We
gas rationing among other things, so the government
have gone to many places in our 40 years together and
leased the property and used it for convalescing soldiers,
had experiences that I thought were incredible, but if I
the most notable being John F Kennedy. While visiting
were to rate them for not just what I experienced in sites
you will notice a flag flying at the top of Salvation Peak
and scenery, but human interaction, Castle Hot Springs
planted around that time. After the war in a time of our
would come out on top. In two days, I was able to rid
country’s growth, it became a place for the wealthy and
myself of years of stress and experience all of my senses
notables to visit such as the O’Connors and Goldwaters
fully. Driving home I knew I was ready to greet the world
and oil and other magnates from Proctor and Gamble,
once again.
Defining Desert Living
MAR/APR 2022
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SOCIAL CLUB 1 5 5 5 0 N o r t h 7 8 t h St r e e t
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“Architecture is inhabited sculpture.” – Constantin Brancusi
Scott
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IN MEMORIAM
LARRY WOODIN BY DEBBIE JARSON
his company. He was bright, witty and a natty dresser, always in a suit and one of those people who could be 40 or 70 but it didn’t matter. He possessed a twinkle in his eye and when you talked he listened. And more importantly when he talked we listened. He was a driven man with a purpose, but it always seemed to be for things that would make the world a more beautiful and better place to live in. Larry was a passionate advocate for the preservation and protection of all Wright buildings. He felt that preservation easements were the best form of protection and worked tirelessly to promote their importance and strength to Wright building owners.
It was a normal day in the life of a Realtor®. I sat at my
In July 2016, Larry celebrated his marriage to longtime
desk, working on business when a phone call came
partner Andy Mygovych at the Frank Lloyd Wright
in from a member of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building
Brandes House. A celebration of Larry’s life will be
Conservatory. Did we know the current owner of the
announced at a later date.
David and Gladys Wright House? And yes, we actually did. Would we join with the Conservancy and help in
And while it was a shock to receive the news of his very
stopping the demolition of that important home? Yes,
untimely death, we feel so fortunate to have had the
absolutely, when do we begin was our answer. And
opportunity to be a part of his life. He has left a very
thus started our long and wonderful journey with the
big hole in the world of important architecture and I
Conservancy and soon after we were introduced to
can only hope that somebody will step in to at least
one of their most important members, Larry Woodin.
attempt to fill it.
A kind, generous, devoted man that we delighted in knowing, Larry gave of himself continuously in the fight
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy Board of
to preserve some of the most important architecture
Directors recently honored him by establishing a special
in America and quite frankly the world. And though
fund in his honor. The Conservancy’s New Larry Woodin
others have taken credit for saving the David and
Easement Opportunity Fund will help qualified building
Gladys Wright house, truth be told credit needs to go
owners alleviate the financial burdens of donating
to Larry. By good fortune he happened to sit next to
preservation easements. Tax-deductible donations to
someone when flying from Seattle to Phoenix and a
the Larry Woodin Easement Opportunity Fund may be
conversation started and out of that conversation came
made online by clicking the link below, or by mailing a
interest from his seat mate in purchasing the home.
check to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy,
And the rest is history.
53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 720, Chicago, IL 60604. Questions can be directed to Barbara Gordon at 312-
And though we only got to see each other a couple of times a year, we always looked forward to being in 44
663-5500 or preservation@savewright.org.
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson is the only Real Estate firm in Arizona that specializes in the sales and marketing of Architecturally Unique Homes.© Since 1990, Scott & Debbie Jarson, have stood by their original mission to celebrate and honor design & architecture. They remain devoted to adding value to architect-designed properties and are committed to celebrating, encouraging and promoting good design. Over the many years, azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson have been defining desert living by searching out homes from modern to historic, that add enjoyment and harmony to our clients’ lives. A keen aesthetic sense and a deep appreciation for the Valley’s rare and diverse architecture define their commitment to marketing unique properties like no other firm. azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson remains deeply committed to historic preservation and are proud EcoBroker® Affiliates. Whether you are buying, selling, or are just an enthusiast of architecture, remember to contact azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson — the Valley’s true expert in Architecturally Unique Homes.© Meet our team or contact us to learn more about how we can help you.
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