2019 SouthWest: Scottsdale...lots on the go

Monday morning we headed into Scottsdale to visit our good friends Jamie & Johanne. We have known them a very long time, and a few years back they purchased a condo here, an escape from the crazy winters in Ottawa.

Their place is in a beautiful condo community, with nicely sized units, none over two stories, great landscaping, with a couple of pools, a community centre building, and tennis courts.

They are also big fans of pickle ball, in fact inspired us to start playing the game.  A few years back, Jamie noticed that their tennis courts were rarely used, and having played pickle ball in a neighbourhood close by, started a movement in their
community to convert the tennis courts and get people playing the game. Well, it has taken off, many of their residents have joined them in playing 5 mornings a week.  Naturally we brought down our rackets and when we arrived first thing in the morning, both of the courts were in full swing, with people waiting to play.

What a great bunch of people they have in their community. Everyone was super nice, welcoming us, lots of conversations going on, a real meeting place, with a little exercise thrown in.  We noticed that after playing a number of mornings during the week, and with all the helpful tips our game greatly improved.  Every day following playing we had lunch with Jamie and Johanne and then headed out to explore Scottsdale.

One spot at the top of our list we wanted to see was Taliesin West, another of architect’s Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings. Built mostly from 1937-39, Wright regarded it as a winter camp desert design laboratory. Wright had fallen in love with the desert, and in the winter months, he and his family, and about 30 apprentices, would leave the original Taliesin in Wisconsin, and head south. Under direction from Wright, the apprentices worked on creating the new Taliesin West. Wright was experimenting with new building materials, all of them sourced from the desert. Stones, sand and cement were placed into forms, with the resulting organic looking walls, seemingly to rise from the desert floor. Over the ensuing winters, more and more parts of the building were designed and built.

Taliesin West has a much different vibe to it than the other Wright buildings we have seen. It is very much one with the landscape. The spaces are open and airy, and although the design  elements are very clear, it has a rough ‘back to nature’ feel. Originally there were no glass windows and the roofs on the buildings, instead relying on trusses, were covered with canvas screens, when needed. The buildings were more a workspace and studio than a home. Many elements of Wright’ Usonian concepts are present, which presented a design philosophy that puts emphasis on uncomplicated architecture, minimal structure, and only building what is truly needed. Wright thought of this as architecture for the common man.

so many little design details everywhere

the concrete and desert stone construction 

The Taliesin Fellowship still continues at Taliesin West, it is still a design laboratory, as Wright first intended it. Many apprentices still build their own canvas tent like housing on the site, like other fellows did many years before. This is all considered as part of the architecture training, to immerse oneself into the space around you, so that this can be incorporated into designs.  Apparently a Wright Fellowship of their Masters degree is a sought after accreditation.

The next afternoon we explored Old Scottsdale, but found it a little too much of a tourist trap. There seems to be some heritage buildings around, but they were lost in a sea of retail and bars.

Early Friday morning we did a ranger led hike, a walk to better understand the Sonoran desert and its plants. Ranger B was well versed on the park and provided a ton of information to us desert newbies. We weaved our way through the park, and at one point we crossed a wash where he explained that about a month previous during a heavy rain storm, it was flowing quite actively. Seeing it now, it is hard to imagine it was not long ago full of water, if only for a brief time.

great morning for a walk

outdoor exercise 

Ranger B was leading the way, and at one point called everyone to a quick halt. Under a brush, he spotted a rattlesnake, which soon retreated back into it’s den. I later asked him how he spotted it, and he said years of watching for them had trained him to be on the lookout for possible den sites, and to try to catch changes in the natural patterns of the surroundings. Clearly, he is watching for rattlesnakes on his hikes. He did say though, that in the long history of the Park, and over five million visitors, there has never been someone bitten. Still, they are out there.

the colours were just starting to appear

So we got in a great visit with our friends, enjoyed some spirited pickle ball games, did a little hiking, and got a good feel for area. We think Scottsdale will always be part of all SouthWest adventures.