arizona, heritage, center, museum, frank, lloyd, wright, san, marcos, desert, ocatilla, ocatillo, ocotillo, state, capitol, gammage, auditorium, legos, taliesin, west, geoglyph, meteorite, gypsum, azurite, native, copper |
Hello Friends and Family, |
Link to this year's index by clicking here. |
Arizona Heritage Center, Part 2 |
Continuing the exploration of the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit, on display was this sketch of a proposed San Marcos In the Desert Hotel. I found an interesting write-up on the Library of Congress website, "In 1928, beset by personal and financial difficulties, Wright again found himself with little work. Showing uncharacteristic humility, he agreed to consult with a former apprentice on the design of the Arizona Biltmore. His trip to Phoenix to accomplish that task led to a major proposal for a similarly luxurious resort: San Marcos in the Desert. It was commissioned in early April by Alexander J. Chandler (1859-1950), one of the area's successful developers. Wright wrote to his son, 'Phoenix seems to be the name for me too. . . . It looks as tho I was well started now for the last lap of my life and work.' By May 1928 he had a scheme for the resort in mind." |
Additionally, "Chandler's site of some 1,400 acres, located south of Phoenix at the base of the Salt River Mountains, offers close views to a foreground enclosed by low hills with framed views to a greater vista beyond — not unlike the sites for Doheny, for Lake Tahoe, and for Johnson. Wright emphasized these different depth-planes in his composition, reinforcing a residential typology in which protective elements of the visible surroundings were balanced with open views suggestive of limitless space. Chandler responded positively to Wright's proposal; working drawings were completed in 1929, and favorable estimates augured well for construction. The stock market crash in October, however, doomed the project. Grossly insensitive residential development now obscures much of the site". |
|
|
|
|
|
This is a photo of a photo of a geoglyph — images formed on the earth, usually by scraping the top layer of soil to reveal a different color (non-oxidized) rock below with the excess forming a contrasting border. The images can be of any real or imagined being. Similar, more famous images are found in Peru. I found a good video with drone images of some geoglyphs found in Arizona and California. Click here. |
|
|
|
Standing here is a large sample of native copper — an uncombined form of copper that occurs as a natural mineral. Copper is one of the few metallic elements to occur in native form, although it most commonly occurs in oxidized states and mixed with other elements. Native copper was an important ore of copper in historic times and was used by prehistoric peoples. |
To be continued... |
Life is good. |
Aloha, B. David |
P. S., All photos and text © B. David Cathell Photography, Inc. — www.bdavidcathell.com |