I've always been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, America's preeminent architect. And it's nice that he has made an impact on Phoenix. While he has properties all across the U.S., he's most well known in Phoenix for Talisien West. While Frank Lloyd Wright Spire isn't as extensive, it makes for a fun mini adventure. I stopped by on a Sunday afternoon and had no trouble finding a free parking spot in the entertainment center where the Spire is located. Naturally, it's right off of Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. If you're trying to find where to park, look for Maggiano's. The Spire was actually intended to be part of the State Capitol Building (another cool place to check out). Instead, it ended up in North Scottsdale. It's a large spire that stands out due to it's geometrical design and color scheme. While I saw it during the day, it's also nice to visit at night (when it lights up) or around the holidays (when an elf is attached to it). Outside of the spire, you have a good number of interesting sculptures designed by one of FLW's pupils. There's also a nice water fountain and bench area designed by another pupil. You can see FLW's influence in frequent uses of symmetry. And last but not least, there's a little tablet telling you a little bit about the spire and sculpture garden. This experience is free and can be done in about 10 minutes. I still have a few FLW spots to check out in town. On to the next one! read more

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Huge fan of FLW and Taliesin West was the first FLW site I ever visited about 15 years ago so I've always had a soft spot in my heart for AZ because of this. We were driving to Cosanti and I wanted to stop here to check it out. My favorite part of Taliesen West is the sculpture garden with sculptures by Heloise Crista. The good thing about this location is you can see a couple of the same sculptures for free. The archer near the fountain is very memorable and I took a picture of it for a friend who visited TLW with me and he instantly remembered it.  The spire itself was draped with a blow-up elf for the holidays and it was distracting. It was originally meant for Arizona State Capitol. It's odd its just placed on a street corner though I can see why its probably the best location for it. The spires at the Marin County Civic Center and the Anderton Court Shops are integrated into his architecture and feel a lot more appropriate. Overall, it was quick free stop for FLW fans, no one else was there in the afternoon. You can see a wider breadth of the Crista Sculptures at Taliesen West and there are better FLW spires that are part of his buildings. read more

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This is up their with the weirdest of tourist attractions. During the holidays, the Frank Lloyd Wright Spire is adorned with an elf. Frank Lloyd Wright originally designed this spire with the intention that it be installed at the Arizona capitol building, but instead, it has been mounted by an elf outside a Maggianos. Make of that what you will... I would not make a special trip to see this (we did because it is free and super weird) but fun to check out if you're already in the area. There's plenty of shopping nearby and also that Maggianos. Additionally there are some nice local sculptures from artists who studied under FLW. read more

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The Frank Lloyd Wright Spire on the southeast corner of Scottdale Road and Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. is an aqua blue, 125-foot steel and glass spire that has become a true Scottsdale and Arizona landmark. Weighing 75,000 pounds, it was built in 2004 to honor a design Frank Lloyd Wright offered in 1957 for the Arizona Capitol building. While I was reading up on the history of this spire, I got the impression that it's a monument either loved or hated and has had a controversial past, sort of like the Eiffel Tower in Paris. No matter the history, it serves as a landmark for many Arizonians and has become a beloved part of the community. I decided to stop and check it out to take a break from my commute home on the 101 North that was having a lot of heavy accident and construction traffic. I'm really glad I stopped by because it served as a calming oasis from the busy city and traffic bustle . There is a mini sculpture garden with several bronze sculptures on pedestals and also throughout the dirt garden on the ground. There's a canopy covering a fountain and a grassy area with benches circling the perimeter. This must be nice in the heat of the desert summer sun. There's a triangular water fountain off to the side as well. The Grackles were really enjoying the water features and shouting at me from the fountain and the trees surrounding the monument. I had a nice break wandering through the sculpture garden, the covered fountain and grass area. The spire, which sort of looks like an aloe or cactus leaf to me, lit up gorgeously against the setting sun. I really enjoyed my afternoon coffee while checking out this landmark. Parking is located near the structure and its handicap accessible. The spire is located at the edge of a strip mall that has restaurants and stores. read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Spire blocking the setting sun - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

While visiting Scottsdale, AZ, I happed to frequently drive pass this thing and I didn't know what this was until a friend of mine told me. It's the Frank Lloyd Wright Spire. As you can tell, I took a night picture while stopped at the light. I did drive back around and into the parking lot to take a look at all the different sculptures. Pretty amazing things. read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

While traveling to Scottsdale and Phoenix quite a few times now, I have noticed the FLW spire. I must admit, before I knew what it was I thought it was an eyesore. Frank Lloyd Wright is Arizona's favorite architect and I admire a lot of his work. I did a little research on this spire and it turns out, FLW designed it in 1957 for the state capitol. The state of AZ passed on adding it to the capitol grounds. It was never built until 2004 and FLW had already passed. It stands 125 feet high, weighs 75,000 pounds and is an aqua color during the day and lights up with a royal blue hue at night. It is located on the corner of Scottsdale Road and FLW Blvd. It sits in a park like setting although all I ever do is drive by. I think a lot of people use it as a landmark when they are in Scottsdale and that works for me. read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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The FLW Spire is a landmark and the beginning of FLW Boulevard, which continues down to FLW architecture colony at Taliesin West. See Review. Taliesin was the name given by FLW to his two architecture schools and comes from the Welsh bard meaning "shining brow". FLW design his spire for the Arizona State House in Phoenix. But.... state officials gave him a fast no on the idea and he moved onto other projects, including the Guggenheim in NYC. Years later, the aqua blue spire was redesigned for this space. You can see the original markups and learn more at the Taliesin West Museum. read more

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The Frank Lloyd Wright Spire is a super cool art structure and a great point of reference because of its impressive height and unique design. My favorite time to visit is during Christmas when they decorate the area and hang a gigantic Elf on the Shelf--it adds a festive touch that's really fun to see. It's a nice, quick spot to check out if you're in the area, especially since there are a ton of restaurants and shopping in the same plaza. Whether you're a fan of architecture or just looking for a cool landmark, it's worth a visit. read more

I am a big fan of FLW and all of his work. This spire is honestly beautiful with it's shape, design, and color. I went in the middle of the day, so when you step around it in the shaded area the sun behind it like really lights it up. It is also lit up manually in the evening, but I think it's especially beautiful in the daytime. The turquoise color really represents Arizona well and it's honestly something worth seeing. It's located right next to Capital Grille and Maggiano's and there is a small sculpture garden at the base of it to view as well. There is no admission or parking fee, or anything of that nature. A must visit for any fan of FLW, or anyone who appreciates design. read more

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If you are ever driving down Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd, you can't not miss seeing this tall blue spire as you approach Scottsdale Rd. It's 125 feet tall, steel, glass, and glows blue at night. Some people love it, some people hate it. But it is iconic to Arizona and was designed by Arizona's most popular architect. FLW designed it in 1957 and meant it for the State Capital. It was finally built in 2004. I will admit it doesn't look like much in the daytime. But at night I think it is beautiful. It has a pond around it and makes for a nice evening stroll if you are shopping or dining in the area. read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

This is a sculpture--a piece of art, marking the location of a handsome architectural shopping center. read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

A co-worker of mine once described it as a big, blue phallic symbol rising from the desert so now I cannot drive past it without chuckling internally each time I see it! I use it as a navigation point when I am in the area especially at night since I am not a local and not that familiar with the area. I happen to like this landmark if for no other reason than it provides some colorful contrast to the otherwise uniform appearance of the area. It is nothing more than an artful, tall spire that is aqua in the daytime but lit up deeply blue at night. I have been told that the city of Scottsdale has some pretty heavy external business appearance codes and frowns on things such as colorful signage, buildings that aren't uniform, and things that don't blend in well with the brownish desert landscape. So every strip mall and industrial office complex in the area looks very similar and boring. This spire helps to break that image up for sure! read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

I had just visited Taliesin West where a Frank Lloyd Wright aficionado took us around the grounds for over three hours under the blazing sun. It was a fascinating tour (review: http://bit.ly/2wNBZET), and one of her departing messages to the group was to check out this spire about twenty minutes away. How it ended up on the southeastern corner of Scottsdale Rd and Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. in Scottsdale's Promenade Shopping Center is anyone's guess, and the colorful blue and green tower seems somewhat trivialized by its location. Somehow I bet Frank would find it amusing. Its back story is interesting as it was designed by Wright to sit on top of the Arizona state capitol building, but the local politicians at the time rejected it as too flamboyant. Wright died two years later thinking it was one of many rejections he received throughout his career. However, it was finally built in 2004 with 1,700 panels of steel weighing over 37-1/2 tons (photo: http://bit.ly/2wNymxT). It's quite a sight off the road and nicely complemented by the sculpture garden (photo: http://bit.ly/2xaOVEq). I've seen photos of how it glows a bright blue in the dark, but hey, I have a flight to catch. Tick-tock. read more

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I love the Frank Lloyd Wright Spire. We could see it from our hotel and it intrigued me. I wanted to know more about it. About why it was in that shape and why it was lit up in blue and why it was in that space. Apparently it is 125 feet of 1,700 individual steel pieces and glass lit up by large lamps inside the structure. It weighs a whopping 75,000 pounds. And it wasn't originally designed for that space. Because he designed it for the Arizona State Capitol building and it wasn't commissioned, it wasn't built until after his death for a developer who wanted something unique in his shopping center. Weight's original plans were redesigned by Arnold Roy to meet building codes and now here it is. We walked up to the spire and admired its design. It's laid out in the center of 'spokes' and has a little landscaped area with statues and seating around it. Very cool. The blue was captivating. And the bubbling sound from the water feature nearby relaxing. read more

While the spire is beautiful and can be used as a good landmark to determine where you are while in Scottsdale it is not worth a special trip to see it unless you are in the area or if you are a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wrights work. At night it lights up and we can see it from our hotel window. read more

I love to view this obelisk day or night but eves are best because it lights up so the mood is alluring. It is on the southeast corner of Frank Lloyd Wright boulevard. It is a symbol that welcomes one to The Promenade shopping strip mall. read more

Not sure this is worth a trip out to see it. Unless I missed something this is not impressive. Go see the Watts tower instead. It's way cooler. read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

I'm a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright. What started as a quickie vacation in the sun turned in to an FLW love-fest. We checked out Taliesin West the day before, and learned about the gift to Scottsdale. A pavilion with a number of spires. Only this spire was built, conveniently on the corner of FLW Blvd and N Scottsdale Road. The spire is a little park with other Wright artifacts, including a number of sculptures. Aside for the busy intersection nearby, this is a nice respite for a while. read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

A piece of art? Yes. Something worth seeing? Not really. The story behind this spire is cool as this was originally designed to sit atop the Arizona State Capitol Building. Unfortunately for Wright, it was rejected by politicians. Wright passed thinking this was a rejected piece. Later it was built and stuck on the side of the road for all to see. While it's cool, I think it deserves to be around more art. You drive by, see it, and keep on driving. Not a big deal. If you're a Frank Lloyd Wright fan, go to Taliesin West for a tour instead. read more

It is just a fancy spire. Set alongside a rather busy road. It was originally part of a design by Frank Lloyd Wright meant to sit atop a new capitol building, which was never built because of cost. The spire was still created and erected in Phoenix. It is pretty, sure. And fairly close to Taliesin, where we found out about the spire while on the tour. We actually accidentally drove by the spire on another day, following our GPS back to our hotel. We didn't think it warranted an actual out-of-the-car visit. We saw it from the car with an "Oh hey...is that...the Frank Lloyd Wright spire....?" and looked on our map to verify it. read more

I have to imagine that a great unicorn rests below the intersection of Frank Lloyd Wright & Scottsdale Roads....and this is his mighty blue horn! That's my natural way to admire this spire! Admire the spire. That's kinda Unicorn-y. Could go on a t-shirt or a bumper sticker. I digress. Digression and discombobulation is what happens though, when I get to thinking about the spire and Lloyd Wright. Having only viewed it from afar until recently, I'd always thought that it was a bit of an eyesore! (I know, perhaps I'm alone in this camp.) and that was BEFORE I'd come to learn that it's a FLW design. My understanding of FLW & prairie lines & "blending" into natural surroundings was completely thrown here. I even recall, at Taleisin (FLW's winter camp back in the day) how the tour guide emphasized that ...even when the power lines went in, FLW had a fit - noting how they interfered with the natural view. Anyway, the spire is said to evoke images of the desert - (btw, it was originally conceived for a 1950's proposal for the AZ state capitol that was rejected) - the reaching skyward saguaro and the jagged, rugged desert plants. I can see that now and can appreciate that aspect (though I think it a bit of a stretch at 125 ft). The green grounds and canopied area are well-kept. The water features are pleasing. The sculptures are interesting. Something though is restless. I tried for a nap, but I think there's a bit too much of a sense of hustle n bustle. (Which is odd since I can kick back in a place like Millenium Park, Chicago.) It's a lot more yang than yin here, (busy parking lot, bustling intersection, giant jagged horn) probably better for a quick walk through and then grab lunch at the Maggiano's patio and look upon it from there. I'll keep coming back though. I imagine Frank LW bare-backing that unicorn, will rise up and explain somethin to me. I bet he's wearing that t-shirt! "Admire the Spire, biatch" read more

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Wow...this spire is BEAUTIFUL! And the fact that it's a Frank Lloyd Wright piece, also known as the Taliesin West Promenade Spire, doesn't hurt. It's a true piece of art in that it looks good no matter what time of day it is; daylight, dusk, evening. The spire shows beautifully at any time of day. read more

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The color of the spire is just incredible. I really appreciate how the building surrounding the square pay homage to Wright's designs. According to the tour guides at Taliesin West, the spire is only 1/3 it's original designed size due to height restrictions. There is food and shopping in the area so definitely a place to check out on your way around town! read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Shelter in the square. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

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I was in the area visiting familia and staying up the road at the Marriot Springfield Suites. Took a walk (Note: stay on the East side of Scottsdale Road, if you walk, the other side is inexplicably closed to pedestrians. There is a sidewalk but then it abruptly ends stranding you in the middle of a gnarly intersection...trust me, AZ drivers are complete lunatics, and they despise pedestrians, so please exercise caution) Scottsdale is actually my hometown of sorts. I spent my teenage to early 20's years in this town. Its fun to be a tourist now. Was surprised to learn this spire is somewhat legit. That credibility is difficult to find in a city full of chain restaurants, Walgreens, rich white people and mega-resorts. Reading the bronze placard, I learned it was designed by a disciple/student of big Frank LW. Cool. It is pretty impressive up close. The location is somewhat unfortunate, that corner of Scottsdale and Bell is Uber - busy and very loud. When you take a pic (see mine) you will either see a busy road in the background, or "Romano's Macaroni Grill" awnings. Typical Scottsdale views. The fountain and resulting reflection pool was a nice little spot to contemplate, and watch birdies flit around. I recommend coming here early morning to beat the heat in summertime. Bring water. Not much else to see, save a few other bronze sculptures. I would also check it out at night, when its lit, but again, beware of the traffic if you are on foot. Maybe stroll out there after dining at RMG. read more

This is an unremarkable monument on the edge of a modern shopping plaza. It is an homage to what FLW intended for the Arizona Capitol. One might as well go see it since it's in a place designed for people to go, but there's not much to see, although it is very tall. read more

A very nice art exhibit dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright. It reminded us of the "Bean" up in Chicago and should be more popular in our opinion. The Spire was originally designed in 1957. It was one of three spires that were conceptualized to sit on top of the new Arizona State Capitol. The design was created for free for the state and two of the spires were eventually erased from the final plans. The concept was never used and the spire was not built till 2004. We're not sure if the park would gain Frank Lloyd Wright's red tile of approval, but it's a nice place to stop after visiting Taliesin West house, just up the street a few miles. The park uses many of his designs/concepts. read more

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There's a nicely maintained park with sculpture and fountains adjacent to the FLW spire. Very pleasant. read more

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I've passed by this spire, on foot and in cars, for years, but I only found the water fountain a few months ago while on a stroll. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/frank-lloyd-wright-spire-scottsdale?select=sKiua623YZpCKgcfsnCHmA#sKiua623YZpCKgcfsnCHmA Why I never spotted it before, I don't know, but I'm glad I found it. Now, when I'm in the area, I try to make it a point to visit, for it is so pretty and tranquil here, even amidst parking lots and heavy traffic on Scottsdale Rd. read more

Frank Lloyd Wright Spire - Never knew there was a water fountain here till this morning. :) - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Scottsdale, Arizona

Pretty impressive to have a Frank Lloyd Wright art work just out for public view. It's huge, blue and lights up at night. You can't miss it nor should you miss it! Oh and it's free! read more

One of the rare things I miss about my time in Arizona is my daily drives past this piece of public art. Large in scope and brilliantly lit at night this is a piece that can be enjoyed any time of day and with a small park/fountain set at its foot I often came here to simply read or relax - the nearby mall offering ample parking at no fee. Built from plans after the great architect's death this should be a stop for any fan of the man or his work, a brief stop en route to Taliesin West perhaps. read more

While the spire is pretty cool...it's in front of the Maggianos. In a strip mall. Ehhhhhhhh......

Skip! The tour is $35 and not worth at all, we left in the middle, it was boring, a lot of non-sense talk, after 1 hr, the tour is 90 min, we had only seen 3 rooms of the entire house. read more