Frank Lloyd Wright Spire

I was in the area visiting familia and staying up the road at the Marriot Springfield Suites. Took a walk (Note: stay on the East side of Scottsdale Road, if you walk, the other side is inexplicably closed to pedestrians. There is a sidewalk but then it abruptly ends stranding you in the middle of a gnarly intersection… trust me, AZ drivers are complete lunatics, and they despise pedestrians, so please exercise caution)
Scottsdale is actually my hometown of sorts. I spent my teenage to early 20’s years in this town. Its fun to be a tourist now.
Was surprised to learn this spire is somewhat legit. That credibility is difficult to find in a city full of chain restaurants, Walgreens, rich white people and mega-​resorts. Reading the bronze placard, I learned it was designed by a disciple/​student of big Frank LW. Cool.
It is pretty impressive up close. The location is somewhat unfortunate, that corner of Scottsdale and Bell is Über — busy and very loud. When you take a pic (see mine) you will either see a busy road in the background, or «Romano’s Macaroni Grill» awnings. Typical Scottsdale views.
The fountain and resulting reflection pool was a nice little spot to contemplate, and watch birdies flit around. I recommend coming here early morning to beat the heat in summertime. Bring water.
Not much else to see, save a few other bronze sculptures. I would also check it out at night, when its lit, but again, beware of the traffic if you are on foot. Maybe stroll out there after dining at RMG.

This is one of the fun signature pieces in Scottsdale. Similar to the giant Solari Bells at The Waterfront. Anything that adds a little color to the brown desert landscape is A OKay in my book.
This piece is fun because of how it is lit up at night too.

One of the rare things I miss about my time in Arizona is my daily drives past this piece of public art. Large in scope and brilliantly lit at night this is a piece that can be enjoyed any time of day and with a small park/​fountain set at its foot I often came here to simply read or relax — the nearby mall offering ample parking at no fee. Built from plans after the great architect’s death this should be a stop for any fan of the man or his work, a brief stop en route to Taliesin West perhaps.

I’ve passed by this spire, on foot and in cars, for years, but I only found the water fountain a few months ago while on a stroll.
Why I never spotted it before, I don’t know, but I’m glad I found it. Now, when I’m in the area, I try to make it a point to visit, for it is so pretty and tranquil here, even amidst parking lots and heavy traffic on Scottsdale Rd.

Pretty impressive to have a Frank Lloyd Wright art work just out for public view. It’s huge, blue and lights up at night. You can’t miss it nor should you miss it!
Oh and it’s free!

I have to imagine that a great unicorn rests below the intersection of Frank Lloyd Wright & Scottsdale Roads… and this is his mighty blue horn!
That’s my natural way to admire this spire! Admire the spire. That’s kinda Unicorn-​y. Could go on a t-​shirt or a bumper sticker. I digress.
Digression and discombobulation is what happens though, when I get to thinking about the spire and Lloyd Wright. Having only viewed it from afar until recently, I’d always thought that it was a bit of an eyesore! (I know, perhaps I’m alone in this camp.) and that was BEFORE I’d come to learn that it’s a FLW design. My understanding of FLW & prairie lines & «blending» into natural surroundings was completely thrown here. I even recall, at Taleisin (FLW’s winter camp back in the day) how the tour guide emphasized that… even when the power lines went in, FLW had a fit — noting how they interfered with the natural view.
Anyway, the spire is said to evoke images of the desert — (btw, it was originally conceived for a 1950’s proposal for the AZ state capitol that was rejected) — the reaching skyward saguaro and the jagged, rugged desert plants. I can see that now and can appreciate that aspect (though I think it a bit of a stretch at 125 ft).
The green grounds and canopied area are well-​kept. The water features are pleasing. The sculptures are interesting. Something though is restless. I tried for a nap, but I think there’s a bit too much of a sense of hustle n bustle. (Which is odd since I can kick back in a place like Millenium Park, Chicago.) It’s a lot more yang than yin here, (busy parking lot, bustling intersection, giant jagged horn) probably better for a quick walk through and then grab lunch at the Maggiano’s patio and look upon it from there.
I’ll keep coming back though.
I imagine Frank LW bare-​backing that unicorn, will rise up and explain somethin to me. I bet he’s wearing that t-​shirt! «Admire the Spire, biatch»

Wow… this spire is BEAUTIFUL! And the fact that it’s a Frank Lloyd Wright piece, also known as the Taliesin West Promenade Spire, doesn’t hurt.
It’s a true piece of art in that it looks good no matter what time of day it is; daylight, dusk, evening. The spire shows beautifully at any time of day.