One of Frank Lloyd Wright‘s most iconic properties, the spiral-shaped David and Gladys Wright House in Phoenix, just sold for $7.25 million.
The home, which Wright built in 1952 for his son David and daughter-in-law Gladys, was originally listed for $12.95 million in 2018 but was cut in price as the owners insisted on finding a buyer who would respect the home’s original design.
And the new owner plans to do just that. According to local news outlets, It was purchased by former insurance CEO and lifelong architecture fan Jim Benson, who serves on the board at the School of Architecture at Taliesin, formerly known as the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture.
Benson plans to work with Bing Hu (who also sits on the school’s board) and Wenchin Shi on the restoration, which will include installing a copper roof as Wright had intended before his death in 1959.
The sellers “wanted nothing to do” with offers from buyers who had no intention of honoring the property’s legacy. “Their intention from day one when they purchased it back in 2012 was to make sure the home and it’s integrity would de be preserved as such a historic Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece should and will be,” Robert Hassett, the Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty listing agent, told AZ Big Media. Jason Mitchell of Jason Mitchell Real Estate worked with the buyer.
Located in Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood, the house has three bedrooms and spans 2,200 square feet. Its most iconic feature is its spiral shape, with coiling walls and a curving indoor ramp that leads from the bottom of the home to the top. The home is said to have been an early inspiration for New York City’s Guggenheim Museum, which is one of Wright’s most beloved and recognized works.
The home sits on six acres overlooking Camelback Mountain. It also includes Wright’s custom furniture — a fireplace, wooden tables and chairs, and a carpet using Wright’s “March Balloons” design. The outside also boasts a rooftop deck and a separate guesthouse.
Arguably the country’s most iconic architect, Wright designed hundreds of homes across the country throughout his lifetime. Today, they remain a huge commodity among both investors and architecture fans — last year, the Mayan-style Ennis House in Los Angeles was snapped up for $18 million.
