Taliesin West, William Wesley Peters Conference Room, 12621 North Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, Scottsdale

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS AZ-218-F. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The William Wesley Peters Conference Room at Taliesin West is an example of Frank Lloyd Wright s Organic Architectural design style. Wright integrates a sustainable relationship between people, the built environment, and the surrounding natural world. Wright and his apprentices built the Taliesin West complex between often referred to as Wright s Second Golden Age. The complex is located within the arid, desert foothills of the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale, Arizona; it served as Wright s winter home and academic campus for his Taliesin Fellowship.

The Conference Room was part of the initial set of structures, whose original use was housing for Wright s son-in-law apprentice William Wesley Peters and his secretary Eugene Masselink.1 In the the terrace in front of the apartments was enclosed and the two spaces combined to make a larger living area for Peters and his new bride Svetlana Alliluyeva, the only daughter of Joseph Stalin. She lived with Peters until their divorce in and Peters resided in the apartment until his death in Following his death, the space was converted to its present use as a conference room for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Historians: Arthur Longoria & Zhao Xu

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS AZ-218-F. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation sponsored the University of Texas at San Antonio School of Architecture + Planning in the documentation of the William Wesley Peters Conference Room. Fieldwork began in with Maricela L. Casanova, Porter B. Hehr, Hector J. Martinez, Andi M. Poore, Jessica Puentes, Vanessa V. Sotelo, Austin M. Villejo on the team. Final documentation and drawings were completed in by the team of Tae Joo Jeon, Jazmyne Knox, Arthur Longoria, Francisco A. Loredo, Mark R. Morin, Adam A. Perez, Ashley M. Vasquez, Zhao Xu. Sue Ann Pemberton, FAIA, FAPT, was the faculty supervisor. 1 Gunny Harboe, Preservation Master Plan, 63. TALIESIN WEST, WILLIAM WESLEY PETERS CONFERENCE ROOM HABS No. AZ- (page 2) PART 1: HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History 1. Date of erection: Winter 2.

Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, on June 8, After completing his first year and a half at The University of Wisconsin at Madison, he left the university to apprentice under the well-renowned Conover and Silsbee firm before becoming chief assistant to architect Louis Sullivan. In Wright left Sullivan to establish his own practice. From Wright s initial work, defined as The Prairie Style, can be described as display[ing] a wide, low roof over continuous window bands that turned corners, defying the conventional boxlike structure of most houses, [while] the house s main rooms flowed together in an uninterrupted space.

4 After suffering several personal tragedies at Taliesin in Wisconsin, Wright met his third wife, Olgivanna Hinzenberg, in and married in In Wright and Olgivanna established the Taliesin Fellowship, a community of apprentices and their families who lived, worked and studied with Wright first at Taliesin in Wisconsin and later at Taliesin West in Arizona. The program provided a total learning environment integrating all aspects of the apprentices lives with the intent of educating responsible, creative and cultured human beings. Then, in after suffering a near-fatal bout with pneumonia, doctors recommended Wright should spend winters in a warmer, drier climate leading to the discovery of the perfect location in Scottsdale, AZ.

In he founded Taliesin West and bought several hundred acres as an experimental desert laboratory for architectural materials. Thus, Taliesin West became Wright s winter home, office, studio, and the winter location of the Taliesin Fellowship. Wright continued to construct and alter buildings at Taliesin West and completed commissions for other architectural designs until his death on April 9, at 91. After his death, Wright s legacy was continued by Olgivanna and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.5 3.

Original and subsequent owners, occupants, uses: The Conference Room began as two separate apartments for Gene Masselink and William Wesley Peters with an open area connected to the Loggia.6 In the the terrace in front of the apartments was enclosed and the two spaces combined to make a larger living area for Peters and his new bride Svetlana Alliluyeva, the only daughter of Joseph Stalin. Svetlana lived in the apartment until her divorce from Peters in Peters stayed in the apartment until his death in Following his death, 2 Gunny Harboe, Preservation Master Plan, 63. 3 Isabel Howard et al. HABS Taliesin West Cabaret HABS No. AZ-218-C. Library of Congress. July, 4 Isabel Howard et al. 5 Isabel Howard et al. 6 Gunny Harboe, Preservation Master Plan, 18.

7 Kihss, Stalin's Daughter Leaves Her Husband. TALIESIN WEST, WILLIAM WESLEY PETERS CONFERENCE ROOM HABS No. AZ- (page 3) the space was converted to its present use as a conference room for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.8 4. Builder, contractors, suppliers: Wright built Taliesin West, with his apprentices completing most of the work. The apprentices acted as builders and contractors and served as suppliers when sand and boulders were collected by hand from desert washes. Apprentices began initial excavations using hand tools; however, the caliche occasionally proved too hard even for the young and eager apprentices. Therefore, a bulldozer operator from Phoenix was hired to do the initial excavations.

A later account by apprentice Kamal Amin notes Entz White as a building material store in Phoenix, from which materials such as cement, nails, canvas, and wood for casting concrete forms might have been bought. Every part of Taliesin West bears Frank Lloyd Wright s personal touch. Upon every return after a summer in Wisconsin, Wright would grab a hammer and immediately make his way through the complex. He would walk through each room, make changes, or shout orders to apprentices closely following with wheelbarrows and tools. 9 5.

Original plans and constructions: Having been part of some of the first spaces designed at Taliesin West, original plans were drafted out in the open desert on brown butcher paper with drawings that were more like schematic sketches than working construction drawings and provided minimal information for construction. 10 Due to this, not much of the original plans outside of the designation for space of the two apartments is known. Furthermore, the conversion to its current state was also done by simply enclosing the terrace and combining the rooms, further limiting any documentation on the construction of the space. 6. Alterations and additions: In the wood and glass doors were added to the openings replacing the previous canvas flaps.

In the terrace was enclosed, and the two apartments were combined using a steel and glass structure covered with a flat roof.11 The fireplace in the lounge area was retrofitted to house an AC system, and there are plans to demolish the kitchenette and renovate the existing restroom to be ADA compliant. B. Historical Context The Conference Room is unique to Frank Lloyd Wright s style and Taliesin West. Wright is considered one of the greatest names in American modern architecture; scholars agree that Wright s architectural vision stands apart from all others. Contemporaries such as Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, and Le Corbusier, considered forefront innovators of modern architecture, differ from Wright, who waved away the stark minimalism of the era.

Instead, Wright developed his unique idea of minimalism: the idea of Organic Architecture. In his mind, any building could be adapted to its site and built using the natural materials available in the 8 Gunny Harboe, Preservation Master Plan, 63. 9 Isabel Howard et al. 10 Gunny Harboe, Preservation Master Plan, 18. 11 Gunny Harboe, Preservation Master Plan, 63. TALIESIN WEST, WILLIAM WESLEY PETERS CONFERENCE ROOM HABS No. AZ- (page 4) area. The detail would come from the texture of the materials themselves; therefore, minimalism was inherent in the design of Organic Architecture. Taliesin West is a masterpiece of Organic Architecture. Each building is appropriately oriented to benefit from breezes, shade, and cross-ventilation.

Desert masonry construction melds colors and textures with the desert landscape, and Cherokee-Red paint, Wright s signature color, echoes the color of the desert floor. At Taliesin West, Wright developed a cultural environment for the Taliesin Fellowship that was as unique as the master architect himself. Wright insisted that a well-rounded experience for his students included musical performances in the evenings and on weekends. In addition, Wright expected students to work in the fields, tend the garden, mix the concrete, weave rugs, and cook meals. Each task taught valuable skills that transfer to the practice of architecture. The community activities set the Taliesin Fellowship apart from other architecture schools.

The Fellowship was a critical part of the design and education community that sought to contribute to creating a better environment for all inhabitants.12 Designed as a laboratory, workshop, and cultural space, Taliesin West has no parallel in American or international architecture. Wright was keenly aware of the unique desert camp he created. Taliesin West is as original as the Maya, he wrote to a friend in The desert compound continues to fascinate historians and visitors today.13 PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement 1. Architectural Character: Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings are unique in Modern Architecture, and the Conference Room is no exception.

Built as one of the first spaces at Taliesin West, the Conference Room is a simple space of desert masonry and steel structure adjoining the Dining Room and open corridor to the Garden Room. The walls are made of desert masonry, and the glazed facades look out onto the prowl overlooking Scottsdale and the valley beyond. 2. Condition of the fabric: The current state of the room is fair. Two factors that influence the condition are the building s role as a tourist site and the simple design. As a tourist site, the building is included in year-round public tours therefore receives needed attention from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation staff. The simple design has a concrete floor, desert masonry walls, and a roof which requires minimal routine maintenance.

The conference room is routinely assessed for potential repairs by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation s preservation department and Gunny Harboe, FAIA led the 12 Isabel Howard et al. 13 Isabel Howard et al. TALIESIN WEST, WILLIAM WESLEY PETERS CONFERENCE ROOM HABS No. AZ- (page 5) team at Harboe Architects, Chicago to create the Preservation Master Plan for Taliesin West in B. Description of Exterior 1. Overall dimensions: The Conference Room is a one-story structure measuring approximately 111 x 27 that shares masonry walls with a larger adjacent building but doesn t provide access. The overall shape of the building appears rectangular with similar rectangular protrusions. 2. Foundations: The foundation is concrete on hard caliche. 3.

Walls: The walls are a mixture of sand, Portland cement, and large, flat stone, often surrounded by small stones that Wright referred to as goose eggs collected from the surrounding desert. 4. Structural system, framing: The structural system consists of load-bearing desert masonry walls and steel framing along the glazed exterior enclosure. 5. Garden: Drought-tolerant, landscaped vegetation exists outside the Conference Room between the building and the prowl, including the watered grass lawn. 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The Conference Room has two exterior doorways. First, a pair of steel framed glazed doors measuring approximately 3 -9 x 5 -11 is located on the southeast side of the main space.

Then a single steel framed glazed door measuring approximately 2 -3 x 5 -11 provides access to the office space. b. Windows: There are no traditional windows. Glazing is present on every exterior wall that is not desert masonry including doors. c. Skylights: The ceiling has raised protrusions with hidden glazing panels on their verticals. The protrusions are covered by white acrylic panels that serve as skylights. 7. Roof: a. Shape and covering: The roof is flat and is supported by a steel structure attached to the desert masonry walls. b. Eaves/exterior decorative features and trim: The exterior walls have long eaves with wooden decorative trim. 14 Isabel Howard et al. TALIESIN WEST, WILLIAM WESLEY PETERS CONFERENCE ROOM HABS No. AZ- (page 6) C. Description of the Interior 1.

Floor Plans: The Conference Room is a one-story structure with a conference room, lounge, restroom, and separate office. 2. Flooring: The entirety of the interior flooring is painted concrete except for the restroom, which is tile. 3. Wall and Ceiling Finish: The walls are desert masonry (concrete with locally found stones and rubble) and metal framed glazing along the southern and eastern exterior walls. The ceiling comprises exposed painted steel tubes, ceiling panels, and a raised light shelf. 4. Light Shelfs: Part of the ceiling raises above the roof line for the skylights with glazing on the vertical. The glazing is a 2 tall rectangular panel and brings light into the interior. 5.

Fireplace: A desert masonry fireplace in the Taliesin West style measuring approximately 5 -9 x 6 -8 is in the lounge area. It has been retrofitted to house an air conditioning system. 6. Mechanical Equipment: a. Heating, air conditioning, ventilation: The desert masonry materials absorb heat from the sun during the day and radiate heat at night, creating a passive heating and cooling system. The glazing panels on the southwest side of the corridor open to allow cross- ventilation from prevailing winds. As part of the addition, the former fireplace in the lounge area currently houses an AC system. b. Lighting: Lighting includes custom sconces placed on the walls and recessed lighting in the lounge area. c.

Plumbing: The presence of a restroom with a sink, toilet, and shower, is still in use, which suggests the original plumbing was adequate for residents and employees. d. Original furniture: With the Conference Room being two separate apartments combined, the furniture has been changed multiple times and has been different for each period, resident, and use of the space. D. Site 1. Historic Landscape design: The entire complex of Taliesin West was designed with a precise configuration that Wright meticulously followed as each building was constructed. Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer recounts, Taliesin West was [ ] planned [ ] as one opus set on concrete terraces and surrounded by massive low masonry walls.

Wright cared very much that the site and its relation to the mountain range to the north TALIESIN WEST, WILLIAM WESLEY PETERS CONFERENCE ROOM HABS No. AZ- (page 7) dictated the orientation of the plan. In Mr. Pfeiffer s words, No building, if Mr. Wright could help it, was ever placed on a direct north-south axis. 15 2. Outbuildings: here are no original outbuildings. The Conference Room shares walls with the Dining Room and Kitchen but being at a lower level does not have access. PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS AZ-218-F. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Harboe, Gunny. Preservation Master Plan. Chicago: Harboe Architects, Howard, I., Hillin, G., Lazaro, N., & McCormick, L. HABS Taliesin West Cabaret HABS No. AZ-218-C. Library of Congress, Kihss, Peter. "Stalin's Daughter Leaves Her Husband." The New York Times, February 23, Likely Sources Not Yet Investigated: Additional accounts from apprentices could provide relevant information regarding details of construction, building supply information, or more detailed timelines of changes to the Conference Room. Fellowship member Indira Berndston, Administrator of Historic Studies, Collections and Exhibition, has conducted numerous oral interviews with former apprentices over the last 30 years. Additional research into her files could yield supplemental information. 15 Isabel Howard et al.