Lykes House
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Darmok and Jalad
N 33° 32.317 W 112° 00.133
12S E 406948 N 3711450
This is the last Wright design that was built by the original client... on the original site.
Waymark Code: WM2HC4
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 11/04/2007
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member Rayman
Views: 259

Among the last sketches to come from Wright's hand was a pencil study for a house dramatically perched on a rocky promontory (visit link) . Apprentice John Rattenbury was at his side as Wright sketched two embracing circles and described the general plan. After a while he got up from his desk, never to return to the drawings again. The next week, April 9, 1959, he died.

Rattenbury finished the presentation drawings and the Lykes' were thrilled with the design, but waited seven years to build it. Rattenbury also supervised construction. The 3,000 sq. ft. futuristic residence wraps around the mountain with two drumlike pavilions separated by a curved bedroom wing. All of the bedrooms open out to the view, including the master bedroom which has a small southfacing balcony.

Aimee Lykes lived in the house for nearly 20 years and then rented it out to a succession of tenants. The house was sold in 1994 to new owners who refurbished it. The home's new owner had Rattenbury modify the interior, enlarging the master bedroom by extending it into an adjacent bedroom, combining two other bedrooms into a single guest room and converting a workshop into a home theater. The county assessor's 2005 value of $784,600 does not seem to reflect the true market value of the property (visit link) .

References:

Legler, D., 1999, Frank Lloyd Wright: The Western Work, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, pp. 116-121
Year Completed: 1959 - designed, 1968 - built

Commissioned By: Norman and Aimee Lykes

Nearest City or Town: Phoenix, AZ

Public/Private: Private

Tours Available?: Not Listed

Website: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
There are no specific visit requirements, however telling about your visit is strongly encouraged. Additional photos of the building or house to add to the gallery are also nice, but not required. Pictures with a GPS or you in them is highly discouraged.
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Recent Visits/Logs:
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Go Boilers! visited Lykes House 12/09/2019 Go Boilers! visited it
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