David and Gladys Wright House, Frank Lloyd Wright residential structure in Arcadia, Phoenix, United States
The David and Gladys Wright House is a residential building made of concrete blocks in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix, Arizona, with Camelback Mountain visible in the distance. The structure rests on stilts above ground level and wraps around a central courtyard that contains a small plunge pool, with the living spaces arranged in a continuous spiral.
Frank Lloyd Wright designed this house in 1952 for his son David and daughter-in-law Gladys as their family home in Phoenix. After years of occupation, new owners took over after 2020 and carried out an extensive restoration of the property.
Frank Lloyd Wright shaped the rooms in a spiral so that air moves through the house naturally, which visitors can feel when walking from one space to the next. The central courtyard was meant to be the heart of daily family life, and it still works that way during guided tours today.
The house is in the Arcadia area of Phoenix and requires a deliberate trip, as it is not near other major attractions. Visits are only possible as part of a guided tour, so it is best to plan and book well in advance.
The house was built above a working citrus orchard, and the stilts allowed cool air to flow beneath the floor, which helped keep the interior comfortable in the desert heat. Building a home directly over a fruit orchard was an unusual choice that set this design apart from anything else Wright built.
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