Defining Desert Living - December 2020 by azarchitecture

DECEMBER 2020

Defining Desert Living

Architecturally Unique Homes

OUR UNIQUE VISUAL WEALTH Kiva Craft Center

STARRING PHOENIX AZ

Appearences on Film

FEATURED ARTIST

Mayme Kratz

Architecturally Unique Homes

azarchitecture.com

480.425.9300

ÂŽ

IN HIS OWN WORDS

Editor’s Note: Thank you for joining us in another issue of our magazine devoted to architecture and design: Defining Desert Living. This issue is an homage to the uniqueness and imaginative spirit found here. Inside you’ll find a deep-dive into one of the most significant, yet humble, architecture works that became ground-zero of the arts and crafts movement in Scottdale, one that put this place on the map for many creative souls. You’ll get to explore a cinematic side of the Valley that few are really aware Scott Jarson, Editor

of. I have found that searching for and watching some of these obscure titles offer a wonderful celluloid glimpse of our place in the Sun that would come to attract millions. We have been celebrating over thirty years of our specialty marketing that we call Architecturally Unique Homes™. We are proud that, to this day, we are

EDITOR / PUBLISHER

the only Real Estate brokerage in Arizona that makes architecture a special

Debbie Jarson Scott Jarson

focus of their trade.

CONTRIBUTORS

As I have often said, our business is Architectural Real Estate...but it’s also

Taylor Costello Andrew Jarson

our passion. We hope you’ll feel free to call on us. Even if it’s just to share a

ART DIRECTION

ps:studios inc. COVER IMAGE

Bridge House Allen+Philp Partgners Image: Bill Timmerman

bit of history, or to learn more about a particular place or house. Of course, we’d be delighted if you’d choose us to market or find your unique home. Our door is always open to you. It’s all part of what we call Defining Desert Living! Scott Jarson

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azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson members are proud supporters of the Frank Lloyd Wright READ THE CURRENT ISSUE ONLINE AT azarchitecture.com

Building Conservancy, The Arizona State University Art Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, and the Taliesin Foundation.

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Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2020

Tucson, Arizona | PHOTOGRAPHY: Donald Teel

IN THIS ISSUE IN HIS OWN WORDS

Editors Notes

ON THE SHELF

Coveted Holiday Products

OUR UNIQUE VISUAL WEALTH

Kiva Craft Center, Old Town Scottsdale

ON THE MARKET

New Listings

STARRING PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Appearences on Film

ON THE MARKET

New Listings

MAYME KRATZ

Featured Artist

ON THE MENU

Valley Restaurants

IN FOCUS

Chen+Suchart Studio

Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2021

In the midst of our Valley there are cool, irrigated citrus groves in the shadow of Camelback Mountain, along with pockets of Spanish revival, adobe, and mid-century modern ranch homes. There are forests of giant saguaros in the foothills to the north, an area that is known for cutting-edge architecture, and rows of majestic date palms lining streets of historic homes in central Phoenix. All of this makes for a rich, urban landscape that includes modern in-fill architecture, loft projects and stunning high-rise towers. All coexisting within the dramatic backdrop of our unique Sonoran Desert. azarchitecture understands the contrasts and architectural nuances that set unique homes apart. From Frank Lloyd Wright to Case Study, Eames to Al Beadle, azarchitecture speaks the language of modern architecture.

Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2021

ON THE SHELF

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OUR UNIQUE V ISUA L W E A LTH

KIVA CRAFT CENTER, OL SCOTTSDAL BY DAV I D M . B R OW N

Kiva Crafts Center, circa 1955. Photo Stuart Weiner, Courtesy IAIA

T LD TOWN LE Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2020

“

It was the . . . catalyst for Scottsdale as a nationally known resort center with fine art galleries, Indian arts and crafts and specialty shops . . .

”

–Lloyd Kiva New (The Sound of Drums)

In 1946, Lloyd Kiva New (1916–2002), a Cherokee/

Inspired by his vision of marketing premiere Native American

Scots-Irish Oklahoman, returned to Phoenix from the war,

handmade wares, he followed in September 1950 with

including “hellish days and nights at Iwo Jima” as a Navy

the Arizona Crafts Center, featuring wearable art, in the

officer aboard the USS Sanborn. A graduate of the Art

undeveloped Fifth Avenue area north of town. Finally, he

Institute of Chicago, he had worked before the war at the

built Craftsman Court, also called Kiva Craft Center, in

Phoenix Indian Boarding School, managed by the Bureau

phases from 1955 to 1958 on the southeast corner of 5th

of Indian Affairs (BIA).

Avenue and Craftsman Court.

Lloyd Kiva was cruising east to Scottsdale, thinking of

Listed on the Scottsdale Historic Register on July 1, 2002,

“islands, oceans and ships,” but he also wanted “to hug

Craftsman Court pioneered a pedestrian-friendly retail

the trees, the rocks, the mountains and to feel the sky I

environment in Scottsdale with its seven one- and two-story

used to know,” he wrote in his memoir, A Sound of Drums,

shops surrounding a shaded courtyard with a reflecting

which vividly relates his quest for authenticity as a Native

pool. The city uses the Historic Register, established in

American in an assimilationist environment (Santa Fe:

July 1999, to identify, designate and promote its historic

Sunstone Press, 2016, p. 136 ff).

buildings.

Ahead was what appeared to him as a “Hollywood ghost

In designing the center, architect Thomas Stuart ‘T.S.’

town.” In the middle of the “village” was Scottsdale Road,

Montgomery

which was “paved for a few miles to the north and then

contemporary styles and sun-withstanding materials.

(1917–1970)

combined

western

and

turned to gravel before rolling out through greasewood, Saguaro cactus, and monumental boulders for some

Lloyd Kiva’s shops, including his Studio 10, helped

twenty-five miles to its beginnings in a small group of

Scottsdale develop as an arts colony and established the

houses and stores called Cave Creek” (p. 142).

Indian crafts movement in the young city. An artist and leather craftsman, he employed, inspired and mentored

In town, Lloyd Kiva serendipitously met some pre-war artist

Native Americans such as Hopi artists, Charles and Otellie

friends, including painters Lew Davis and Phillip Curtis.

Loloma, who made pottery; Charles (1921–1991) later

Soon after, in February 1946, he joined the Arizona

crafted the jewelry he is now particularly remembered for.

Craftsmen demonstration studio on the southwest corner of Brown and Main streets, sponsored by businessman and

“Lloyd Kiva New’s legacy is, above all, the empowerment

developer Tom Darlington, who later founded Carefree;

of Native American artists, to encourage pride in who

four years later, in April 1950, that wood building burned.

they are and express themselves as individuals and in their

Lloyd New working on the USS Sanborn, c. 1942.

Woman models a Lloyd Kiva dress, circa 1955.

Courtesy IAIA Archives

Photo Arizona Republic, Courtesy IAIA

communities,” says Ryan S. Flahive, archivist at the Institute

Gallery; jeweler Fred Skaggs; leather craftsman, Lord

of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, which Lloyd Kiva

Latigo; silversmith Wesley Segner, one of the original

helped found in 1961.

Arizona Craftsmen; and El Chango Loco, an arts and crafts store.

Flahive, who also edited The Sound of Drums, adds that just prior, Lloyd Kiva was the keynote speaker at the Rockefeller

More diversely mixed today, the six-decade-old Kiva

Project in Tucson 1958 to 1961, whose goal was to revivify

Craft Center houses one of two Kactus Jock stores in Old

American Indian art.

Town Scottsdale, Estate Watch & Jewelry, Leela Market, Accentuated by Diana, BS West, Elizabeth’s LPG Endermo

An innovative promoter, Lloyd Kiva oversaw the design and

Center Spa and FnB restaurant in the original Glass Arts

creation of stylish high-quality handbags, dresses and other

Studio building.

goods that found enthusiastic markets in department stores such as Goldwater’s in Phoenix and the homes of well-to-

The Simonson family of Scottsdale, today as Sunbrella

do customers in the Valley and nationwide.

Properties Ltd., have owned the center for almost 50 years, acquiring it in April 1972 from Lloyd Kiva New’s wife. “My

His tenants were also artisans, including Glass Art Studios,

late brother Richard and I represent second-generation

which pioneered large pieces of glass in cement; its stained

ownership, very soon transitioning to third generation,” says

glass can still be seen on walls at Kiva Craft Center. Erne’

Michael Simonson, a University of Arizona graduate, tax

Wittels was a custom perfumer, and fashion artist Leona

attorney and former municipal judge who is teaching the

Caldwell was prominent in the Scottsdale modern crafts

business to his son, Paul.

movement. Others were acrylics specialist, Dick Seeger

Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2020

Studio 10, Kiva Crafts Center, circa 1955. Photo Stuart Weiner. Courtesy IAIA

“Kiva Craft Center is so approachable and still in use;

for sale,” he says of the now renowned bells designed and

kudos to the owners for leaving it pretty much untouched,”

forged by architect Paolo Soleri (1919–2013), associates

recalls Scott Jarson, who with wife Debbie is celebrating

and students at Cosanti, his workplace and home, in nearby

30 years of azarchitecture Jarson & Jarson Real Estate,

Paradise Valley.

Scottsdale, which specializes in the sale and purchase of historic properties. “I think that’s the greatest compliment,

Jarson’s sister, Gail, opened the second of her El Chango

that now, all these many years later, there’s still a creative

Loco stores here, offering a compilation of local arts and

draw to the place.”

crafts including her signature batiks.

HE BUILT IT, THEY CAME

Later, one of the building’s owners offered Jarson a summer job. “I liked to think of myself as ‘landscape engineer,’ but

“My mother, Eileen Jarson, was, if nothing else, a maven

basically I swept and hosed the place once a week on a

of interesting design. I vividly remember while I was a child

Saturday morning,” he says with a smile.

her visiting these shops while I played in the courtyard, a relaxed setting dappled with shade from the eucalyptus

When Sam Campana moved to Scottsdale in 1969 from

trees, overhangs and plants,” recalls Jarson, a Valley native

Idaho, she recalls that “Craftsman Court was a hidden

who works in Scottsdale and lives in Paradise Valley.

jewel of its own. I distinctly remember the perfumerie tucked in the southeast corner with a scented fountain in front.

Craftsman Court was a “Who’s Who of Craft and Design,”

The owner would invite you in, get to know you through

he remembers. Lord Latigo, for example, was one of the first

an informal interview and then craft a scent just for you!”

“hippie”-inspired leather shops, where Jarson worked as a

Campana was a city councilwoman from the mid-1980s to

teenager a day each week as an apprentice. “It was one

the 1990s and the city’s first female mayor, 1996–2000.

of the first places in town you could find a Soleri wind bell

Lloyd Kiva New displays some of his popular handbags, circa 1955. Courtesy Scottsdale Historical Society

Eleanor Roosevelt visits Lloyd Kova’s shop in Scottsdale, September 1950. Courtesy Scottsdale Historical Society

Campana’s favorite shop was Glass Arts Studio. “I did all

of $7,500 for the Arizona Crafts Center on 5th Avenue.

my gift-shopping for weddings, baby showers, birthdays

The name of the city’s first master-planned community,

in the aisles of beautifully displayed candles, mirrors and

McCormick Ranch, honors the family.

bowls. I probably purchased over 50. I loved the interior and how the stained glass played with the desert light streaming

In the late 1940s, Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962), wife

in,” she adds. She first met Lloyd Kiva in the 1970s when

of the former president and world figure, visited the Kiva

Loloma had a Phoenix show and later in Santa Fe at the

workshop twice, extolling it both times in her national

IAIA, which Lloyd New helped found in 1961 to forward

column, “My Day.” Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959), who

Native American art and educate its future exponents.

wintered nearby at Taliesin West, was also a visitor and supporter.

“The Kiva Craft Center has been a focal point for creative innovation since the mid-1950s. Lloyd Kiva, along with other

Lloyd Kiva joined with other craftspeople for Saturday

artists and crafts people, put Scottsdale on the map as an

fashion shows during the winter on a 5th Avenue runway;

arts and crafts and fashion center in the late 1940s,” says

he emceed, local celebrities modeled.

Scottsdale resident Joan Fudala, who has written numerous books and articles about the city for three-plus decades.

Moreover, with other artisans of the late 1940s/1950s, he was a community builder. In 1947, they helped create the

Because of his promotional acumen and the quality of his

Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, with Wes Segner the

products, local and national attention followed, including

chamber’s first president. They also supported Scottsdale’s

articles in Holiday, Town and Country and Life (“Sands of the

1951 incorporation.

Desert Turn Gold”). Wintering north of town, Mr. and Mrs. Fowler McCormick (the farm equipment manufacturer),

Lloyd Kiva New was a Scottsdale maker.

were early patrons and gave him a no-interest “angel” loan

Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2020

Craftsman Court, probably late 1950s. Courtesy Scottsdale Historical Society.

WHY IS KIVA CRAFT CENTER IMPORTANT?

Craftsman Court; three years later, he moved T. S. Montgomery Architecture to the historic Harry Walker

“What makes these buildings special to me is not just the

House in Tempe.

memories; it’s the scale and optimism that are simply so unique to the time and place,” says Jarson. “You find this in

With 200-plus projects completed, he is also remembered

the best of mid-20th-century design: a simplicity of material,

for two local churches, notes Jarson: First Church of Christ

humble concrete block elevated by the simple but judicious

Science on Indian School Road in Scottsdale and the

use of deeply raked joints and the considered placement of

“sublime” St. Barnabas on The Desert Episcopal Church on

the storefront windows, some full height.”

Mockingbird Lane in Paradise Valley, “with its procession of perfect arches: low, sparse and clean like the Sonoran

He adds: “The buildings certainly have a ‘Modern-Ranch’

desert.”

feel to them, with exposed dimensional pine ceilings and deep overhangs that have held up beautifully over the

Kiva Craft Center exemplifies Montgomery’s crisp, desert-

years, but perhaps it’s the courtyard and the shade that

sensitive work: simple detail, a clean line and a sense of

give it a special anchor.”

place, Jarson explains. “It’s timeless desert architecture, like the work of his contemporaries, Blaine Drake, Frank

“The courtyard created a pleasant cool microclimate with a

Lloyd Wright and Al Beadle. All three men took the rigor of

reflecting pool, landscape, and walkways; it was accessible

living in the desert and incorporated it into their designs.”

by a few narrow breezeways off 5th Avenue and Craftsman Court,” adds Doug Sydnor, FAIA, principal of Scottsdale-

The city is now envisioning redevelopment downtown in

based Douglas Sydnor Architect + Associates.

implementing the Old Town Scottsdale Plan. As a Historic Property Overlay Zoning District, any proposed alteration

The Kiva Craft Center architect, Montgomery, established

of the buildings or site must receive approval from either

his practice on 5th Avenue in Scottsdale while designing

the Historic Preservation officer or the Historic Preservation

Commission, explains Steve Venker, the city’s Historic

Jarson compares Craftsman Court to the resurgent

Preservation officer.

Town and Country Shopping Center at 22nd Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix: “The open-air nature of

A number of years ago, Scottsdale’s Allen & Philp Architects

this site invited you to shop, relax and connect. It took

renovated Kiva Craft Center and, recently, the city has

the commerce side of a retail shop and made it a more

received a rehabilitation application for the property by

communal ‘village’ experience.”

Sydnor’s firm. And today’s retail models, such as mixed-use openSydnor and Simonson anticipate that construction should

air Kierland in nearby north Phoenix, thrive because of

be completed in late 2021 and plan to nominate Kiva Craft

their pedestrian-centric village configurations, similar to

Center for the National Register of Historic Places.

Craftsman Court. “This simple space inspired those that occupied it and those who shopped here. It was new,

“We want to assure our Scottsdale neighbors that Kiva

innovative and, what’s more, ‘bespoke’ in a way that

Craft Center will remain a vibrant affirmation of city history

shopping is simply not anymore. In part, that’s because it

and architecture for years to come,” Simonson says.

has the soul of the artist and the ethic of the craftsman.

As a result, the site will remain as part of the shared

“Kiva Craft Center signaled in the focus on art, craft and

“Visual Wealth” of the community, says Jarson – vibrant

design that made Scottsdale popular,” adds Jarson. “It was

as profitable real estate and celebratory of what Scottsdale

what helped make 5th Avenue the major tourist stop for

was and what the city has become in part because of it.

Scottsdale and took Scottsdale from the sleepy ‘West’s Most Western Town’ to the cosmopolitan arts and crafts center it is.

He suggests other places with similar panache and importance, which can harmonize with newbuilds, horizontal

“Intimate moments of design such as this need our

or vertical: the building across from Kiva Craft Center, site of

celebration so that they won’t be left behind as the city

the original Trader Vic’s, with its signature triangular beams

takes a new path to the future,” he continues. “Kiva Craft

from the landmark restaurant; the Cavalliere Blacksmith

Center shows us the very roots of what brought us together

shop; the Bischoff’s Gallery building on Brown Street; the

as a community. To lose that would be to lose the collective

“charming and quaint” Adobe Apartments on First Avenue;

memory of how that happened and what we are.”

the Christian Science Church on Indian School and designs by architects Ralph Haver and Joe Wong.

David M. Brown is a Valley-based freelancer (azwriter.com). This is the second in an ongoing series celebrating “Our Visual

Campana and Fudala agree that places such as Kiva

Wealth.” He thanks the many city of Scottsdale employees who

Craft Center should be enjoyed as Scottsdale legacy sites.

assisted, the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe and

Fudala: “I would love to see the Kiva Craft Center not only

other resources. The updated Scottsdale downtown plan is at

preserved but again populated with arts, crafts and fashion

scottsdaleaz.gov/planning-development/long-range-planning/

studios.”

character-area-plans/old-town-character.

For Flahive, the legacy resonates with stories within the buildings. “The beginnings of the Scottsdale arts and crafts movement was here. This is where it started,” he says.

Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2020

ON THE MARKET

Property Listings | azarchitecture.com

HISTORIC PV A DOB E – MODERN RENOVATION – L A C ASITA DE M A RIA This charming Adobe home estate in the heart of Paradise Valley features a total renovation and stunning architectural updates, making it one of the most unique homes available today: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a nearly 100-year-old adobe home nestled in the midst of its own desert botanical garden with views of fabled Camelback Mountain, the Phoenix Mountain Preserve and Piestewa Peak. READ MORE

Price: $4,695,000

SOLD STONE HOUSE RESIDENCE – CHEN+SUCH A RT A RCHITEC TS Natural beauty and unique materials combine in this Desert Modern home to create a Zen-like experience for owner and guest alike. A sheltered compound of serenely beautiful structures, the Dillon Residence, or Stone House, offers a timeless mix of Contemporary and Modern design in a courtyard setting uniquely appropriate to the Arizona climate. With a classic Arizona ranch-home as a starting point, the footprint, READ MORE

Price: $1,895,000

Architecturally Unique Homes

DESERT CONTE MPOR A RY MODERN ESTATE With a complete 2009 rebuild of this home designed by Riccardo Cattapan from CMDA Design Bureau, this Desert Contemporary design captures the site and the imagination! Nestled on a gentle 5 acre view lot, this home is surrounded by unspoiled natural desert and a unique volcanic boulder field in northeast Scottsdale. The designer is known for his expressive, yet restrained homes and this one is READ MORE

Price: $3,250,000

SALE PENDING BYRNE RESIDENCE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; WILLIA M P. B RUDER FAIA A RCHITEC T METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED! This signature home by celebrated architect William P. Bruder is the most published of his residential works. Internationally recognized, this home combines a unique plan, dramatic geometry and quality materials to create truly inspiring spaces and a festival of natural light, anchored on a saguaro-studded, 5-acre, view lot in the pristine gated community of Carefree Ranch in READ MORE

Price: $1,649,000

azarchitecture.comâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 480.425.9300 3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

ON THE MARKET

Property Listings | azarchitecture.com

SPA NISH RE VIVA L RE TRE AT – BA RBA R A CSA KI A RCHITEC T This Spanish Revival Retreat by Architect Barbara Csaki was fully rebuilt in 2006 on this pristine Paradise Valley lot. You see true artistry upon entering the round speakeasy door w/beamed & vaulted ceilings. The hand finished Venetian plaster, Canterra & imported tile from Spain exude old world elegance. Every corner has romance from the Hermosa Inn blue french doors, the sand cast tile roof, to the private rose garden & the many fireplaces. The home is spacious in every sense from a grand great room & elegant kitchen with exceptional appliances to READ MORE

Price: $2,595,000

CUSTOM CONTE MPOR A RY R A NCH IN TROON NORTH This contemporary ranch style home was built in 2006 by custom home builder Bernard Dixon for his own family. The home boasts 19+ foot ceilings with copper, glass, stone and wood finishes throughout. A stacked flagstone fireplace anchors the shared living/dining/kitchen space while telescoping window walls on both sides of the room and expansive covered patio incorporates the outdoors into the occupants’ daily experience. The home is surrounded by over 3,700 SF +/- of covered patio that provides both shade and shelter. READ MORE

Price: $1,795,000

Architecturally Unique Homes

DESERT CONTE MPOR A RY MODERN ESTATE Mid-Century Modern Architecture combines with Contemporary Ranch-house Style! This home with superb views at the foot of Camelback Mountain offers exposed Mid-Century block reflecting the 1950’s roots, while vaulted ceilings, generous baths, large master and the 3-Car Garage offers updates of today. Complete attention to detail and it shows! The owner spared no expense in detailing this home. Inside you’ll find a luxurious master suite and bath, with a walk-in closet like you won’t believe! The split floor plan is a dream: generous READ MORE

Price: $1,875,000

SOLD M A RION ESTATES MID -CENTURY – ROB ERT J. PE TERSON A RCHITEC T Mid-Century Modern 1959 Gem in the historic highly-desired Marion Estates neighborhood! Glass surrounds every room you enter with full views of nature, mature landscaping and gorgeous Camelback Mountain views, which is literally overlooking the backyard! This open floorplan allows for endless space to live and roam! In addition to the three main bedrooms, there is a huge office/formal living space and a READ MORE

Price: $1,085,000

azarchitecture.com 480.425.9300 3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

STARRING

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

SPATIAL OBSERVATIONS & PLEASURES B Y W A LT L O C K L E Y

WE CAN’T CLAIM THERE ARE ANY LIFE LESSONS TO BE DRAWN FROM THE VALLEY’S APPEARANCES ON FILM. I’M WARNING MYSELF AS MUCH AS ANYBODY ELSE – BE CAREFUL. ANY FLEETING IMAGES OF FORMER VERSIONS OF THE CITY ARE TO BE HELD AT ARM’S LENGTH, BETWEEN THUMB AND FOREFINGER, AS COMPLETELY, THOROUGHLY, INHERENTLY FICTIONAL, NOT TO BE TRUSTED, EVEN FOR A HALF-SECOND. 20

That’s especially true of “documentaries”. The city playing

a sales job. The developer and showman John F. Long

the role of “Phoenix, Arizona,” voyeuristically searched

always went to preposterous lengths to get your attention:

by Alfred Hitchcock’s camera in the first few minutes

clowns, seals, carousels, snappy names of models with

of Psycho, in its single most red-carpet moment in the

calculated pricepoints, even hiring Ronald Reagan once.

movies, with its visibly revolving VNB sign and all the rest,

This time he called in the old, endearingly battered

was and is truly “Phoenix” the same way Anthony Perkins

professional Buster Keaton, who brings his own ancient

was actually Norman Bates. Please don’t fall for it, I tell

vaudeville shtick and treats Long’s new houses as the

myself.

straight man. It totally works. The footage includes a textbook pitch about how the house’s desirable features

And yet. It’s a good game. You get drawn in. You know

add up to a simple, clean, effortless lifestyle, also found

you mustn’t trust the movies. But some of the moments

in the simple, clean, easy little town John F. Long built for

carry a back-in-time truth that it’s hard to get elsewhere.

you practically next door. You get the idea of the spaces

Is it worth the risk of being fooled? Sure.

being radically straightforward, and modernism sold as attractive because you don’t have to think about it.

The films below tend to have good, long views of what we want, related to architectural or at least spatial

The west valley is also shown off in William Wellman’s

observations & pleasures. The important parts of all of

Thunder Birds, from 1942. As Hollywood as it gets:

them are findable online -- as of this afternoon, anyway.

about 80 efficient minutes of ripe true Technicolor, warera, major-studio, patriotic opinion formation wrapped in

My favorite of these is set in the freshly completed

a simple narrative, easy to look at, plenty of swooping

Maryvale of 1961, as it appears in a 25-minute short

zooming airplane footage, and Gene Tierney introduced

called The Homeowner, directed by Joe Parker. It’s

skinny-dipping in an open-topped water tower. Wellman

Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2020

gives us a minute of credits, then two minutes of a narrated

recognize: hootin’, hollerin’, decked out in Nudie western

mini-documentary which roots the story at Thunderbird Air

gear, bronco-busting, throwing a big annual regional

Field in Glendale, scene of the quick training of British,

rodeo like Calgary or Cheyenne, and the colorful stage

Chinese and American flyers zipping around in biplane

setting for a big broad slab of countrified humor akin to

training aircraft. Boring exposition all done -- on with the

Lil Abner. The twangy music starts in immediately. Arthur

show. Other films might teasingly show an empty horizon

O’Connell (as “Virgil Blessing”) here prefigures similar

where you know there are five Home Depots now, but this

services he performed for Elvis in 1962’s Follow That

one takes you up in the air and looks down, revealing the

Dream (as “Pop Kwimper”) and then in Kissing Cousins

runways laid out in the shape of a Thunderbird, and the

(as “Pappy Tatum”). And, oh, Marilyn Monroe is in it, as

undeveloped canvas of the entire west valley. Get a good

a prostitute with a heart of gold. The crowds shown in

look -- only 20 years before John F. Long shows up.

the grandstands, and all the social and style information visible in their hats, boots, and looks to each other, are

I have a soft spot in my -- well, head -- for Robert Altman’s

apparently authentic; we get a good thorough presentation

O.C. and Stiggs. Shot in 1983, it wasn’t released as

of the Western Ho, the fairgrounds, the parade, the stands,

much as it finally escaped in 1987, with its sources akin

inside the old Greyhound station on Van Buren, and a brief

to Animal House and other teen-oriented comedies of

but marvelous glimpse of downtown neon on the VNB and

the 1980s already long stale. Something about this movie

the Hotel Adams just before the hour mark. Somebody’s

requires a lot of patience. As with other Altman there’s a

going to have to tell me if the Jaycees rodeo really turned

loosely rambling storyline and a multi-valent audio track

this part of town into Fort Worth every year.

that murmurs under its breath. The two leads are not easy to sympathize with, they come with some unanswered

Waiting to Exhale (1995), directed by Forest Whitaker,

questions, and they share with Altman an urge to target

with Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, and Gregory

“suburbia” without a clear grasp on how to get that done.

Hines, begins with a title sequence of Whitney driving into

All that said, there are pleasures in the cast, which includes

a stylized desert landscape, which is fair warning about

Jane Curtin, Dennis Hopper, Melvin van Peebles, young

what you’re about to see. On a narrative level this film’s

Jon Cryer, Martin Mull, old Ray Walston, Tina Louise, Bob

interested in its four Black protagonists, four women in

Uecker, and, importantly, the excellent Paul Dooley, who

four social classes, and the gradations of their emotional

comes closest to manifesting Reagan-era materialism in

reactions to relationships with their husbands, lovers, sons

human form. There’s also an unexpectedly sweet, familiar

and neighbors. We get views of the Borgata and Fashion

verisimilitude about its display of the back yards and sunny

Square, the Hermosa Inn, the Arizona Biltmore lobby bar

back bedrooms of south Scottsdale, the alleys of Arcadia,

(Jesus, I love that place), and the yearly ostrich races at Turf

and a truthfulness about the colorful golf shorts of the

Paradise, presented as if they race ostriches every day, all

1980s.

of it amounting to a grand, mythologized, stylized, fantasy, surreally plush and lush portrait of the eastern half of this

The Phoenix observed and celebrated in Bus Stop (1956,

metropolitan area at its most impeccably groomed, with

directed by Josh Logan) has a loud, strong personality to

good art borrowed from local galleries. This is mid-1990s

match its lead characters. It’s a Phoenix I honestly don’t

style taken to the point of science fiction.

One critic of the time called Zabriskie Point (1970,

Antonioni’s filmmaking that the house blows up about 15

directed by Antonioni, with Mark Frechette and Daria

times in the film. He shows it all. They say the rocks are

Halprin) a “spasm of oversimplification.” Subtlety is no

still scorched up there.

problem here. The film also doesn’t reach Arizona until its last half-hour, when of course we linger over dozens

Used Cars (1980), directed by Robert Zemeckis, with

of saguaros. It’s reasonable and prudent to skip straight

Kurt Russell and Jack Warden, is easily going to be the

to the climactic explosion, the explosion of the “Boulder

most entertaining movie on this list. If you have to pick

Reign” house in the Carefree Grandview Estates, on the

only one, this is it. Used Cars bubbles over with rude

south slope of Black Mountain in Carefree, just northwest

transgressive comic energy but it’s also rooted, somehow

of the intersection of Stagecoach Pass and Whileaway

truly rooted, with a strangely strong sense of place, as

Road, designed by Hiram Hudson Benedict. The owners

one view of Mesa’s underbelly circa 1980, specifically on

Karl and Vija Hovgard were away on a sailboat cruise

Main Street eastward out to A.J., specifically on the two

when all this happened. It’s a sign of MGM’s commitment

disreputable fictional car lots warring across the road at

to the project that the studio put $100,000 and its veteran

837 W. Main, one of them played by the former Darner

production designer Dean Tavoularis on the task of

Chrysler Jeep. We also get views of the City Courthouse

entirely re-creating Boulder Reign on a nearby slope at

downtown in the film, also some glimpses of ASU, also

full scale, completely furnished with replicas, with “the

the inside and outside of Macayo’s on Central (just as it

same type of concrete slab roof, individually cast concrete

should be), but in its main setting on the Old Road Out

facia trim blocks, and balcony. Even the large foundation

of Town, zoned for motels and liquor stores and trailer

area was hand faced,” (AZ Republic, 12/8/68) in order

parks, with the steady hustling transient energy and threat

to point about 15 cameras at the blast. It’s a sign of

of a busy arterial, somehow that feels emotionally true,

Defining Desert Living

DECEMBER 2020

ON THE MARKET

Property Listings | azarchitecture.com

SCOT TSDA LE MODERN LOF T - KIERL A ND COM MONS Nestled in the heart of Kierland Commons is the Plaza Lofts at Kierland. Walk to your favorite shops and restaurants and be minutes away from the Waste Management Golf Tournament and the Barrett Jackson Car Show. Split two bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a loft area perfect for an office, or extra bedroom. From its fully equipped, top-of-the-line chef’s kitchen to the open living area, which’ll take you to your very own private backyard with a built in grill and gorgeous furniture, this is the perfect place for entertaining friends and family.

Price: $1,399,000

SALE PENDING MID -CENTURY MODERN - ROB ERT J. PE TERSON A RCHITEC T Custom designed Mid-Century Modern home with INCREDIBLE mountain and city views! Enjoy sunrise over Camelback’s Monk and sunset over the Preserve with city lights all around. Open concept with clean aesthetic including original tongue-and-groove ceilings, beautiful modern flooring, white quartz and brushed nickel throughout, wraparound view decks. This home checks ALL the boxes!

Price: $2,649,000

Architecturally Unique Homes

SOLD A RTISA N LOF TS CENTR A L PENTHOUSE - WILL B RUDER FAIA Beautiful corner top-floor penthouse loft with a view in prime Downtown Phoenix. This creative loft offers a signature architectural experience: superbly crafted detail with custom interiors by Mark Ryan FAIA and a recent refresh by Will Bruder FAIA. This home features two levels of spacious living and third level access to a large, private roof deck. Finished deck features built-in planters and outstanding views of Camelback Mountain and downtown city lights. This creative loft offers a signature architectural experience that combines thoughtful design, superbly crafted execution of detail with a relaxed urban lifestyle that is perfectly aligned with our desert location. Price: $565,000

SALE PENDING M A RION ESTATES MID -CENTURY R A NCH Almost an acre of land in Marion Estates is unheard of. But today is your lucky day! Charming Mid-Century Modern brick home features a large great room with brick fireplace, concrete floors and mosaic tile floors, large windows bringing in natural light and complete privacy from neighbors. This home oozes charm and comfort and deserves to be lightly updated while keeping the Mid-Century vibe that makes it special.

Price: $985,000

azarchitecture.comâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 480.425.9300 3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

COMING SOON ON THE MARKET

Property Listings | azarchitecture.com

MODERN ELEGA NCE - VILL AGE OF PAVORE A L Featuring stunning interior spaces by TrueOrder Architecture, this townhome offers modern contemporary design housed in a gallery-like space. Polished concrete floors, fireplace w/stainless mantle, soaring ceilings, custom doors, 3 bedrooms and split owner’s suite & intimate patios. Superb kitchen w/ top line appliances, cherry cabinets, private yard and deep patio complete with built in BBQ, heated spa, water feature, signature desert landscape. This home offers great location, dramatic light and elegant privacy, all with an upscale urban feel.

Price: $1,195,000

B RIDGE WOOD/NORTH 40 - A LFRED NE WM A N B E A DLE This sublime townhome in Al Beadle’s Bridgewood has been carefully renovated with designer Interiors. Soaring ceilings and upgraded glazing allow for complete indoor/outdoor interaction. Featuring updated kitchen and baths, this rare find is move-in ready! This home’s location allows for an oversized yard and private patio, an easy walk to the community features. Privacy, luxury and abound in this fabulous home. Coming Soon- Call for details and availability

Architecturally Unique Homes

C A MELBACK MOUNTAIN MODERN - K AISERWORKS A RCHITEC TURE Located on the south side of Phoenix’s iconic Camelback Mountain, this fully renovated and modernized home provides grand views of the surrounding desert landscape without forfeiting privacy or its ranch-style heritage. Showcasing inspired design by KAISERWORKS architecture, it departs from traditional wall-and-hallway conventions, and is organized with discrete volumes for privacy that combine with open living spaces. The large north-facing clerestory window dramatically brings the mountain into the great room. Stacking sliders serve to extend the living area into the outside. Price: $2,249,000

PA R A DISE VA LLE Y DESERT LOT An untouched, pristine desert lot in Paradise Valley is the rarest of finds. This parcel offers just that! With a superb “Heart of PV” location you’ll find ease of building coupled with a gentle desert terrain and natural vegetation, perfect for your modern dream home. This location offers superb views of Camelback Mountain, all in an architecturally interesting neighborhood near Stanford and Palo Cristi. Not offered for sale in a lifetime, this superb, 1.174 acre home site will not last long! Call for details and exclusions.

Price: $1,200,000

azarchitecture.com 480.425.9300 3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

FEATURED ARTIST

MAYME KRATZ Mayme Kratzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work is emblematic, standing at the intersection of her life and her artistic practice. Possessing a deep love of the natural world, she has hiked and camped in many of the wild places and National Parks of the Southwest. These desert walks renew her sense of awe in the face of the enormity of the landscapes, the ephemeral radiance of its harsh environment and the delicate calibrations of these fragile ecosystems. They also provide her with material: seedpods, insect wings, cactus roots, bleached animal bones, leaves, grasses and flowers. Carefully organizing these organic elements into shapes, patterns and compositions, she casts them in resin. Her work immortalizes and celebrates that which we all too often dismiss as detritus and reveals a luminous beauty in the ignored, overlooked and stepped-on. Her precise formal designs lead the viewer to contemplate the infinitely large, calling to mind the cosmos of stars and planets, as well as the impossibly small, alluding to cellular and crystalline structures. It is at once deeply personal and utterly universal. To see Maymeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work visit: LisaSetteGallery.com

Images courtesy of the artist and Lisa Sette Gallery

Portrait by: Chris Loomis

“There’s transcendent power in living in observance of nuance, in being sensitive toward the world around us.”

– Rick Joy Studio Rick Joy

Photography: Bill Timmerman

ON THE MENU

Valley Restaurants Our neighborhood restaurants are vital to our successful communities. They are a driving force in Arizona’s economy. They provide jobs and build careers for thousands of people. So treat yourself and support your favorite restaurant. Here are a few of ours... BASE PIZZERIA Base Pizzaria was created by Rossco Lukje, his sister Carlee, and her husband Michael Sands. All three finding their way from Australia to Phoenix hwre they put together their experience, passion, and desire for a family-owned restaurant. The premise of Base is simple: great wood-fired pizza made with organic locally-sourced ingredients. MON-SATURDAY

11:00am – 9:00pm

SUNDAY

4:00pm – 9:00pm

CALL

(602) 535-8914

CLICK

www.basepizzeria.com

VISIT

3115 E Lincoln Drive. Phoenix. AZ 85016

ARCADIA FARMS CAFÉ WE’RE HERE, COOKING FOR YOU. Takeout, Curbside and Delivery available through The Marketplace. Our Café dining will remain closed for a few more weeks while we work on new changes and updates. We will continue to bring the food out to you, with carryout, curbside pick-up and delivery, all through The Marketplace. We plan to re-open with modified service on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. MON-FRIDAY

7:00am – 4:00pm

SAT-SUNDAY

7:00am – 2:00pm

CALL

(480) 941-5665

CLICK

www.themarketplaceonfirst.com

VISIT

7020 E 1st Avenue, Scottsdale, az 85251

RANCHO PINOT Hello everyone! We are back and ready to serve you again. As always, we will remain diligent with our safety protocols and want to keep everyone as safe as possible. Thank you so much for your continued support, it means everything to us. We are now serving a limited TAKE OUT MENU *PLUS WINE & COCKTAILS!*… WEDNESDAY thru SATURDAY. We have included some popular dishes and those we feel travel best. The menu will change occasionally. TUES-SATURDAY

5:30pm – 9:00pm

SUN-MONDAY Closed CALL

(480) 367-8030

CLICK

www.ranchopinot.com

VISIT

6208 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85253

PIZZERIA BIANCO CLICK

http://www.pizzeriabianco.com/

Heritage Square (602) 258-8300 Wed-Saturday 11:00am – 9:00pm Sunday 11:00am – 8:00pm

Town & Country (602) 368-3273 Sun-Thurusday 11:00am – 8:00pm Fri-Saturday 11:00am – 9:00pm

Central (602) 234-2100 Monday 11:00am – 3:00pm Tue-Thursday 11:00am – 8:00pm Fri-Saturday 11:00am – 900pm Sunday 12:00pm – 7:00pm

Van Buren (602) 441-4749 Mon-Saturday 11:00am – 3:00pm

TRATTO (602) 296-7761 A limited TRATTO menu is available nightly at Town & Country Pizzeria Bianco.

SOI 4 Like the city, our menu is a modern take on the traditional through the use of fresh local ingredients, sustainable practice, and creative approach to authentic Thai dishes. …influenced, accented, tinged, anything but ‘fusion’. TEMPORARY HOURS LUNCH

Mon-Friday 11:30am – 2:30pm

DINNER

Mon-Saturday 5:00pm – 9:00pm, Sunday Closed

HAPPY HOUR

Daily 5:00pm – 6:30pm

CALL

(480) 778-1999

CLICK

https://scottsdale.soifour.com

VISIT

8787 N Scottsdale Rd., Suite 104, Scottsdale, AZ 85253

GALLO BLANCO Gallo Blanco is owned and operated by Chef Owner Doug Robson, born in Mexico to parents of French Vietnamese and English descent. We are committed to supporting local community and farmers sourcing local ingredients to create a menu of flavorful and healthy fare inspired by the foods that he grew up with.

Defining Desert Living

TUES-THURSDAY

11:00am – 10:00pm

FRIDAY

11:00am – 12:00am

SATURDAY

8:00am – 12:00am

SUNDAY

8:00am – 10:00am

CALL

(602) 327-0880

CLICK

www.galloblancocafe.com

VISIT

928 E. Pierce St., Phoenix, AZ 85006

DECEMBER 2020

IN FOCUS

Thamarit Suchart and Patricia Szu-Ping Chen Suchart

CHEN+SUCHART STUDIO BY SCOT T JA RSON

STAAB RESIDENCE: Winquist Photography

This celestial period marks the time of the “Great

he chose to return to Arizona to raise his family

Conjunction”, where two shining planets, Saturn

and to start a design practice with Patricia in 2002.

and Jupiter converge in our night sky. The sum of

Patricia is a native of Taipei, Taiwan.

each becoming synergistic display of brilliance. The same could be said about this architectural power

After working for numerous award winning

couple, Thamarit Suchart and Patricia Szu-Ping Chen

architecture firms in both Boston and Phoenix, the

Suchart, the creative force behind Chen + Suchart

pair officially established their own architecture firm

Studio.

in 2010. In 2012, the firm was identified as “15 Young Firms to Watch: Chen + Suchart Studio” by

Quietly creating some of the most thoughtful

Residential Architect Magazine. Since 2015, the

designs built today, their creative genius is making

firm has been the recipient of a total of nine AIA

a significant impact in our Valley. From highly

design awards. 2015 also included an award from

interesting in-fill and adaptive re-use, to stunningly

Residential Architect Magazine, where The Staab

clean and beautiful residences, this firm seems to be

Residence was singled out.

coming into their own, with a humble elegance that is both refined and timeless.

A registered architect in the State of Arizona, Georgia, and New Jersey, Thamarit has also served

Chen + Suchart Studio works at a variety of

as a faculty associate and adjunct lecturer, teaching

scales ranging from small well crafted projects

undergraduate and graduate design studios at

and single family residences to larger scale urban

both Arizona State University and the University of

design. Thankfully, their practice is not interested

Arizona. He is committed to sharing his knowledge

in “style”. The common thread between all projects

with the future generations of architects.

undertaken in their studio is the integrity of design that transcends any stylistic references.

At azarchitecture we’ve been proud to have represented their work and look forward with delight

Thamarit and Patricia completed their studies at

at what comes next. Like many creative outpourings,

the Rhode Island School of Design and Harvard

the “Great Conjunction” comes only rarely, but the

University’s Graduate School of Design. Thamarit

results are always delightful. We know this couple’s

was born and raised in Arizona. Having left Arizona

future is as bright as those two circling planets!

for education on the east coast of the United States,

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson is the only Real Estate firm in Arizona that specializes in the sales and marketing of Architecturally Unique Homes.© Since 1990, Scott & Debbie Jarson, have stood by their original mission to celebrate and honor design & architecture. They remain devoted to adding value to architect-designed properties and are committed to celebrating, encouraging and promoting good design. Over the many years, azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson have been defining desert living by searching out homes from modern to historic, that add enjoyment and harmony to our clients’ lives. A keen aesthetic sense and a deep appreciation for the Valley’s rare and diverse architecture define their commitment to marketing unique properties like no other firm. azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson remains deeply committed to historic preservation and are proud EcoBroker® Affliates. Whether you are buying, selling, or are just an enthusiast of architecture, remember to contact azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson — the Valley’s true expert in Architecturally Unique Homes.© Meet our team or contact us to learn more about how we can help you.

azarchitecture.com

480.425.9300

Architecturally Unique Homes

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azarchitecture.comâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 480.425.9300 3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

PHOTOGRAPHY: Bill Timmerman