David and Gladys Wright House facts for kids
The David and Gladys Wright House is a special home in Phoenix, Arizona. It was designed by a very famous architect named Frank Lloyd Wright in 1952. He built it for his son, David, and his wife, Gladys.
This unique house is made of concrete blocks and is about 2,500 square feet. It sits among orange trees, looking towards Camelback Mountain. The house has a cool spiral shape. This design helps keep the house cool by catching the wind! It also has a long, curved ramp leading up to it, which looks a lot like the famous Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. David and Gladys Wright lived in this house for many years, until they passed away. David lived to be 102, and Gladys lived to be 104!
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A Home with a Spiral Design
The David and Gladys Wright House is known for its amazing design. It's not a typical square house! Instead, it has a circular, spiral shape. This shape isn't just for looks. It was planned to help the house stay cool in the Arizona heat. The spiral helps to catch and direct the wind, which naturally cools the building.
A Special Entrance
One of the most eye-catching parts of the house is its long, curved ramp. This ramp leads visitors up to the main entrance. It's a very grand and unusual way to enter a home. This design feature is so unique that it reminds many people of another famous building by Frank Lloyd Wright: the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. That museum also has a famous spiral ramp inside!
Saving a Historic Home
After David and Gladys Wright passed away, the house was sold. For a while, it looked like the house might be torn down. A developer bought the land and planned to build new homes there. But many people believed this important piece of architecture should be saved.
Efforts to Protect the House
People started working hard to protect the David and Gladys Wright House. They wanted it to be recognized as a historic building. This would help prevent it from being demolished. Luckily, the house was bought by new owners who wanted to save it. They planned to give it to a special foundation.
A Gift to Architecture Students
In 2017, on Frank Lloyd Wright's 150th birthday, the owner decided to donate the house. The gift was made to the School of Architecture at Taliesin. This school was once known as the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. The idea was for the house to become a "living laboratory" for students. They could learn about architecture by studying and living in this unique home.
However, the plan changed in 2018. The deal was called off, and the house was put up for sale again.
New Owners and Future Plans
In 2020, the Wright house was sold to new owners. These buyers include architects Bing Hu and Wenchin Shi. They both studied at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West school. They plan to restore the house themselves. This includes putting on a new copper roof, which was part of Frank Lloyd Wright's original idea for the house.
The new owners are excited to bring the house back to its original glory. They want to make sure this special piece of history is preserved for many years to come.
