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Cosanti Foundation welcomes School of Architecture at Taliesin with open arms

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and educational entities to part ways

Posted 6/16/20

The School of Architecture at Taliesin will no longer be attached to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

In the early weeks of June, proponents of both the School of Architecture at Taliesin and …

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Cosanti Foundation welcomes School of Architecture at Taliesin with open arms

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and educational entities to part ways

Posted

The School of Architecture at Taliesin will no longer be attached to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

In the early weeks of June, proponents of both the School of Architecture at Taliesin and the Cosanti Foundation made a formal announcement of splitting the educational entity into two physical locations:

  • Cosanti, which is located in the Town of Paradise Valley; and
  • The famed Arcosanti site near Cordes Junction, just north of Phoenix.

Based in Wisconsin and Arizona, the School of Architecture at Taliesin is at 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. in north Scottsdale, which is widely regarded as Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert laboratory housing the school for nearly 90 years.

The name --- “The School of Architecture at Taliesin” --- may change as ownership of those naming rights granted to the school’s Board of Governors expires later this summer.

Officials familiar with the matter explain the School of Architecture and The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation are two separate entities. Earlier this year, the School of Architecture announced its closing at the end of the current spring semester.

On March 5, the School of Architecture at Taliesin Board of Governors voted to keep the educational entity open seeking to find new lease terms with Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation leadership.

Meanwhile, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has been experiencing substantial growth, with record numbers of visitors, expanded student participation in its education programs, added new arts programming, and increased philanthropic support. Its campuses, Taliesin and Taliesin West are National Historic Landmarks and are included in the Frank Lloyd Wright UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription.

But now the School of Architecture and the Cosanti Foundation are joining forces to offer the organic architectural instruction at both their Paradise Valley and Cordes Junction locations.

The Cosanti Foundation is established to preserve the architectural theory of Paolo Soleri, who lived from 1919-2013. Mr. Soleri was a notable Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice in the late 1940s, officials say.

“We wish the School of Architecture, an independent organization with its own governing body, well in its new endeavor with the Cosanti Foundation,” said Jeff Goodman, vice president of communication and partnerships at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. “We are open to exploring future opportunities to partner with them and with other organizations for the benefit of the community.”

--- Jeff Goodman

But with the departure of the School of Architecture, Mr. Goodman contends new opportunities will sprout.

“After the school’s Board of Governors voted to close in January, we began working with outside partners and institutions to design programs that will advance Frank Lloyd Wright’s ideas about our relationship with the world around us in a way that both honors the history of education at Taliesin and Taliesin West, but also advances Wright’s ideas to meet current and future challenges,” he explained.

Mr. Goodman points out the recent designation of Taliesin West as a part of the World Heritage sites puts it and other Wright locations on a new level of spectacle.

“After being named part of a UNESCO World Heritage site along with seven other Wright sites last year, Taliesin West was poised for record-breaking attendance, welcoming visitors from around the world to an authentic experience of Wright’s principles through one of his most personal designs,” he said. “While the COVID-19 crisis meant closing Taliesin West before we were able to realize the benefits from the designation, we plan to build on that momentum as soon as it is safe for our visitors and staff."

A natural fit?

Josh Walsh, board chairman of the Cosanti Foundation believes the School of Architecture is a dynamic fit for both the Cosanti and Arcosanti locations.

“It is fitting for our two institutions to work together to influence a new generation of architects, much as our founders influenced architectural innovation in their lifetimes,” he said. “The Cosanti Foundation has always nurtured the interests of architects, designers, urban planners, and scholars who have come to Arcosanti and Cosanti to study our experimental architecture and the unique philosophy of arcology at the heart of our mission.”

--- Josh Walsh

But rest assured the legacies of both men --- and their respective architectural philosophies --- will remain intact. The Cosanti Foundation has been actively seeking more educational opportunities to catapult the legacy of Mr. Soleri to the forefront, officials there say.

“I am trying to lift up our educational profile,” said Patrick McWhortor, CEO of the Cosanti Foundation, of the allure of partnering with the School of Architecture.

“This is going to raise our public profile that much higher and I hope Paradise Valley and the surrounding community see Cosanti for all that it is now and can become. In addition to the iconic long-standing wind bell gallery, they can be proud of the educational programs in their neighborhood.”

Mr. McWhortor joined the Cosanti Foundation in 2018 and a few years later was tapped to raise the public profile of the foundation.

“That was my job to come in and find the sweet spot --- and education is at the core of our mission. The educational work is the core of the Cosanti Foundation,” he explained. “For us, it is an enormously intriguing idea of continuing this 88-year-old renowned School of Architecture.”

Scottsdale resident Dan Schweiker, chairman of the school’s board of governors, was one of several voices seeking a solution to the fallout between the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and School of Architecture Board of Governors.

“There was a lot of synergy between the two organizations,” Mr. Schweiker said recalling his time as a member of Paradise Valley Town Council where the Cosanti site is located. “It just seemed like a perfect solution. We have not been called the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture for some time now --- The FLW Foundation, they own all of those naming rights.”

--- Dan Schweiker

Mr. Schweiker explains the school has registered its domain name hoping for the prospect of both online and in-class instruction beginning this fall.

“When that happens the school will be completely separate from the FLW Foundation,” he explained.
“We are going through the state of Arizona and through the accreditation agencies to allow us to teach classes at Cosanti and Arcosanti. There are classroom facilities and we will eventually bring classes there.”

A key point of synergy? Architects who go through the School of Architecture at Taliesin oftentimes attend educational programs at Arcosanti.

“Often the students themselves see great compatibility for both of our teachings,” Mr. McWhortor said. “From a student standpoint, it is a great fit.”

Back at Taliesin West, officials are examining all aspects of operations.

“We are currently reimagining our tour programs, creating more partnerships and opportunities for live performances and events, building on our thriving K-12 education program, and more, all while developing programs for postsecondary education and lifelong learners that will allow us to serve a larger and more diverse range of students than ever before,” Mr. Goodman said.