Frank HenryAn Icon of

Art & Architecture

FreD GrIFFInThe Forgotten Modernist

tHe outpostSharing a Deep

Respect for the Earth

DefiningDesert Living

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3Architecturally Unique Homes®

azarchitecture.com 480.425.9300

Architecturally Unique Homes®

Copyright 2013 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.

Editors Note:

We began our specialty, marketing Architecturally Unique Homes in 1990. Shortly after, Debbie and I published a series of magazines devoted to architecture and design: Defining Desert Living.

We are proud to share it, fresh and new, in this digitally enhanced form with the desire to continue to elevate the local discussion of architecture and design. So in every issue you’ll see great architecture, a focus on local designers and craftspersons, a touch of travel, new products, ideas, and commentary; always with a desert perspective.

There is a rich history here of unique architecture, exemplary art, design and craft. The magazine is our way of celebrating this narrative with you. We hope that you’ll like it enough to opt-in for more and to be part of the conversation.

Our business is Architectural Real Estate, and it’s also our passion. We hope you’ll call on us... even if it’s just to share a bit of history or to learn more about a particular place, neighborhood, or home —our door is always open. It’s all part of what we call Defining Desert Living!

Scott Jarson

Scott Jarson, Editor

I N H I S OW N WO R D S

EDItOR / PublISHER

Debbie JarsonScott Jarson

ARt DIREctION

P.S. Studios Inc.

PRINtER

Ben Franklin Press

cOvER ImAgE

Eaton Residence Architect: Allen & PhelpInterior Design: David Michael Miller Assoc. Photography: Bill Timmerman

ADvERtISINg

info@azarchitecture.com

Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration is strickly prohibited without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher does not assume responsibility for unsolicited submissions. Publisher assumes no liability for the information contained herein; all statements are the sole opinions of the contributors and/or advertisers.

READ tHE cuRRENt ISSuE

ONlINE At azarchitecture.com

FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

PHOtOgRAPHY: Bill Timmerman

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on tHe sHeLF 6Coveted Books & Products

tHe outpost 8Jones Studio Sharing a Deep Respect for the Earth

WrIGHt House saveD 18The David and Gladys Wright House Lives On

CattLe traCk 20A Haven for Art and Artists

Frank Henry 22An Icon of Local Architecture

FreD GrIFFIn 24The Forgotten Modernist

Larry korneGay 30Designer and Artist Finding Inspiration in Nature

oak Creek Canyon 32A Four Seasons Playground

tHe oasIs 34The 1950s’, Alive and Well

tasteFuL spaCes 36Where Architecture Meets Cuisine

GLobaL perspeCtIve 40An International Look at Modern Architecture

’tIs tHe season 42Holiday Trinkets & Treasures

sHIne CoFFee 44A Pocket Park Building a Sense of Community

In FoCus 48RD Design Team, A Force for Creative In-Fill

IN THIS Issue

FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

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.

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RENé REDzEPI A WORk IN PROgRESS

René Redzepi committed to writing a journal for an entire year and the result is A Work in Progress: Notes on Food, Cooking and Creativity.phaidon.com

lE cORbuSIER AN AtlAS Of mODERN lANDScAPES

MoMA presents the largest exhibition ever produced on his prolific oeuvre, covering his work as architect, interior designer, artist, city planner, writer and photographer. momastore.org

cONcREtETake a fresh look at the world’s most versatile and abundant building material. Featuring projects from Frank Lloyd Wright alongside work from leading lights of contemporary architecture and many lesser-known newcomers. phaidon.com

SHEll cHAIR50tH ANNIvERSARY EDItION

Carl Hansen & Søn introduce twenty special Shell Chairs, each with a different Maharam textile and coordinating wood frame. dwr.com

bullEt cOllEctIONConcrete lighting – a series of lamps in different sizes, tones and finishes. This collection is a first collaboration between Studio Itai Bar-On and Tel-Aviv based designer Oded Webman.itaibaron.com

NESt PROtEctRedefining the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. Smoke alarms should do more than chirp, blink or yell at you. So Nest created one. And it was worth it. Because it changed what a smoke alarm can be.nest.com

HANg-It-AllWith their Hang-It-All, Charles and Ray Eames elevated the everyday coat rack into something inventive and fun. Now in two new monochromatic options. dwr.com

HAzY mINImAlISt clOck

While designing, Ivan Kasner was inspired by blurred images. The opaque face distorts the context and origin of the hands, allowing a dreamy and floating appearance.store.leibal.com

AlEx StEINWEISS INvENtOR Of tHE mODERN Album cOvER

In 1940, a young new art director pitched an idea: Why not replace the standard brown wrapper with an eye-catching illustration? taschen.com

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THE OUTPOST SHARINg A DEEP RESPECT FOR THE EARTH By ScoT T jarSoN

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j o N e S S T u d I o

THE OUTPOST SHARINg A DEEP RESPECT FOR THE EARTH By ScoT T jarSoN

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It’s clear that Arizona’s frequently unforgiving terrain is the perfect setting for the work of Architect Eddie Jones. For an architect who counts among his heroes Frank Lloyd Wright, Bruce goff, Paul Rudolph and Louis Kahn, often what begins as a shape found in nature finds manifestation in forms that show a certain allegiance to Modernism or Expressionism, or both.

Many of his buildings blur the distinction between interior and exterior space. The constant in the work, however, is the element of surprise - unexpected ways of letting the sun and moon enhance the experience of a space abound. Over three decades after launching Jones Studio, which Jones runs with his brother Neal, he continues to benefit creatively from what surrounds him naturally. As Frank Lloyd Wright prescribed so long ago, “Whenever I’m confused or frustrated,” Jones says, “I just ask nature what she wants.”

This was the implied program for a residence meant to represent progressive contemporary thinking grounded in the fundamentals of “mud and shadow.”

And we would add Patina. For this home, like the best of them, will age with a naturalness that speaks of the Desert itself: The gray sun-washed varnish of desert creosote, the bone-white bleached skeleton rib of a forgotten saguaro, and the line and shadow-play of the ocotillo. This residence, not far from the original site of the lost Frank Lloyd Wright designed Pauson House, is the latest tour de force from one of the Valley’s most respected Modern Architects, Eddie Jones and Jones Studio.

And it’s magnificent in its restraint and scale.

For centuries the unique qualities of the Sonoran Desert have confirmed a precedent of living spaces grouped around a courtyard. It is this void, or left over space between enclosures, which define the “hacienda” diagram. This design embraces the void so successfully, it’s hard to know where the home starts and stops, so easily integrated is it to the site and nature. The site slopes in three directions — it is a desert knoll. Linear forms, assuming they are long enough, will inherently emphasize the shape of the landscape by contrasting a level parapet with the sloping topography. But this can leave the design less than integrated if the focus is on a typical residential program along a single axis.

Eddie Jones Jones Studio, Phoenix AZ

respIte, retreat, saFe Haven, Home…

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Fortunately the program included a lap pool. This linear permission slip completed the third topographic axis, and finds directional purpose in its alignment with the 6-million- year-old Papago Butte three miles away, and the centerline of the main entry door, a purposeful anchor to those who came before and, as a natural bonus, provides a focused and fantastic view! Materiality defines this home as much as the site. Rammed Earth construction has a 1,000 year history in the southwest United States. Although ancient, its resistance to climatic forces, insulating superiority, structural capacity, and inherent, natural, undeniable beauty secures its relevance into the 21st century. It’s visual weight adds the necessary anchor, the permanence, that’s necessary to claim this site for the home as permanent and lasting. It is in many ways both the ancient and modern equivalent to Wright’s use of concrete and stone “Desert Rubble” construction.

Inside the rammed earth forms are equally expressive, with a geometry and occasional surprise in the form that’s allowed to interact with the owner in a closeness somewhat atypical of the material, but which adds a playfulness that lightens the home both visually and in spirit.

And the Modern Hacienda? So often we’ve seen the attempt to build around the courtyard, with separate modules of daily life extending along and out from an integrated center. And so often it fails. On this home however, the design is singularly and completely successful. Seamless flow from space to space and room to room make this home completely unique in that it truly allows an indoor-outdoor experience that actually handles the Arizona Climate.

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“ ”It Is Crazy to use WooD In tHe Desert.

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Why? because in one season, the summer sun will begin to eat it! but who doesn’t relate to the old barn, the wood ruin? there is beautiful honesty in relinquishing architecture to the uncompromising reality of nature!

eddie Jones, Principal AIA

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Deeply covered paths make for a natural walk to and from each space, each being succinctly disconnected from the center but at the same time connected around a court. It’s so natural you’ll find yourself in a another part of the home without remembering the exterior walk to get there.

But as much as the plan is interesting it’s the texture, light and shadow that define it. Most of the home is clad in untreated natural redwood. Battens and strips in a rhythmically aligned pattern that seem random but actually bring unity to the exterior. It’s the visual glue that brings the working pieces of the home together and, with time, will be what makes it begin to disappear from the eye.

We so often choose to no longer use wood in the desert, but mostly because

our intense sun makes a mess of it. We are creatures of organization, and the naturalness and reality of carbon, time and sun is offensive to many an H.O.A. board member. But in accepting the inevitable, and the need over time to commit to its replacement, we can introduce a design element that’s been overlooked. Like the delicate char on historic Japanese wood structures, the “desert patina” that will overtake this natural material can be embraced as part of the protection of the material and the experience of living.

“It is crazy to use wood in the desert. Why? Because in one season, the summer sun will begin to eat it! But who doesn’t relate to the old barn, the wood ruin? There is beautiful honesty in relinquishing architecture to the uncompromising reality of nature,” Jones says.

If the intentions are sincere the architecture will get better. The owner clearly looks forward to the dignity of wrinkles and gray hair, and also, gray, wrinkled wood! Like the most collectable of antiques, even classic cars, the search for perfection in an unblemished surface is being discarded for the naturalness of age and the value of patina. The “soul” of the objects use.

Over time, the owner expects that the home will age, that the wood may warp and check. And many decades from now (who knows really?), the wood may need renewal. But isn’t that what makes this the ultimate “respite, retreat, safe haven, home”? A place where the home and it’s occupants can simply be themselves.

PHOtOgRAPHY: Bill Timmerman

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FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

SAVINg THE DAVID AND gLADyS WRIgHT HOME By ScoT T jarSoN

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Just one year ago, the David and gladys Wright home, designed by his father, Frank Lloyd Wright was endangered and near demolition. Fear of losing this completely significant work of architecture was at it’s zenith and the outcry was International.

It is safe now, but not without the intense and dedicated efforts of many persons local and beyond, that stepped up to do whatever they could to save this home, and most importantly, the new owner who’s selflessness will allow this home to remain not just intact, but restored and enjoyed.

Recently, I was honored to be invited to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy Conference to join a panel discussion and presentation regarding Saving the David and gladys Wright home.

In looking over copious notes, email, materials, various articles, appointment calendars, etc. I began to relive the experience. Like some sort of post stress disorder, it all came flooding back: The angst and worry that such a singularly significant home, by

arguably the World’s most significant Modern Architect, right here in Phoenix Arizona, was in such danger of being demolished. It’s still astonishing that it was ever even considered.

The dedication of all those involved was massive, the time and efforts of so many was epic. But thanks to that huge effort, one that Debbie and I and everyone at azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson were proud to have been participants in, the home WAS saved. Kudos and sincere thanks go to every group, committee, and persons that worked on saving this home, from the prominent leaders to the lone signature on a petition. It all helped. And not least the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy whose yeoman efforts did in fact save the day...and the house. Thank you.

What’s next for this gem? The new owners are deeply interested in Wright’s architecture and absolutely committed to preserving the house. Phoenix attorney grady gammage, Jr. has been hired to represent the new ownership. The family strongly prefers to remain anonymous.

The intent is to fully restore the home, including the interior furnishings and the famous circular rug, and to plant the landscape as Wright had originally intended. Once it is restored, the house will be opened for tours by small groups of school children, architecture students and the public.

Preservation is at it’s core, a validation that our collective decisions and efforts as a community have value. There are other properties that may in the future need similar attention. The lessons learned from this effort will no doubt be of great value, but perhaps the memory of how close we came to losing this home will spur a voluntary effort from owners of such signature designs to choose to protect their property. We feel it adds value and provenance.

Today, initial plans for the restoration work have begun, neglected landscape has been cleared and the future remains bright for this quintessential Arizona Desert Home.

PHOtOgRAPHY: Scott jarson

FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

rIGHT Tanner: Burro Creek Corrals by Scott Baxter

CATTLE TRACK ARTS COMPOUND By ScoT T jarSoN

Photographer Scott Baxter, who documented the Legacy Project for Arizona’s Centennial: “100 years 100 Ranchers”, is one of many artists that use this compound as their studio.

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If you’ve Never Heard of THe ellIS

famIly, IT’S TIme To BoNe up oN local

arIzoNa HISTory. GeorGe l. ellIS came

To arIzoNa IN THe 1930’S aNd BeGaN

a career aS a deSIGNer aNd BuIlder.

He purcHaSed Some properTy Near THe

arIzoNa caNal aNd ToGeTHer wITH HIS

wIfe racHael, THey Grew THaT properTy

INTo a HaveN for arT aNd arTISTS.

PHOtOgRAPHY: Scott jarson

cattle track Arts compound | 6105 N. Cattle Track Road, Scottsdale, AZ | 85250To visit Cattle Track Art Compound or for more information, click here or email info@cattletrackcouture.com to reserve viewings for private parties.

Stable galleria | 7610 E. McDonald Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85250For information on purchasing the Stable galleria please contact Scott Jarson at 480.425.9300.

The “Cattle Track” area as it’s known today has been the address of choice for artists and designers that read like a hall of fame: The Ellis Family, Phillip C. Curtis, Dee Flag, Bennie gonzales and Fritz Scholder all called this area home for a time.

The adjacent Stable galleria started as an arts destination and gallery as well. Artist Avis Reed acquired the property where it began it’s life as the Stable Art gallery. Today, its collection of unique mixed-used

office suites are the “go-to” addresses for highly creative businesses. The properties are recognized by Scottsdale as an Historic Site.

Driving down Cattle Track you can imagine the creative energy that drew such a unique collection of cowboys, artists and craftsman together in the first place. you’ll get a sense of what defined the artistic nature of Scottsdale, a creative legacy that endures.

CATTLE TRACKARTS COMPOUND By ScoT T jarSoN

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Frank M. Henry was born in Southern California, then moving to Arizona in the 1940s. While attending Phoenix College in the 1950s, he met Frank Lloyd Wright who inspired him to become an architect. Henry became the first person to receive a Bachelor of Architecture degree in the State of Arizona when he graduated from Arizona State University in 1960. Frank worked as an architect for over 40 years in Arizona. In 1992, his design for the Valley National Bank at 44th Street and Camelback was nominated by the Arizona Chapter of the AIA for the 25 year award given to one building in the United States each year. Until his passing on July 28, 2013 Henry remained active in art and architecture. We knew him as a genuine person, so easy to be with, and so willing to impart his knowledge. Recently, when the David Wright Home was threatened, Frank was there at every step. He leaves us with a rich architectural legacy in his own right. We, like so many, will miss him.

FRANKHENRy1934–2013

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FRED gRIFFIN THE FORgOTTEN MODERNISTBy walT lockley

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In the mid-1990s Scott Jarson sold a hogan-inspired residence in Carefree. The designer of the house, from twenty-five years back, ran Carefree Realty from an office facing Joe Wong’s sundial in the Carefree core. The designer’s name was Fred griffin. Scott drove up to the office to introduce himself.

Fred would have been around eighty.

“He was as nice a guy as you could meet and thrilled that I had interest in his work,” Scott said. Fred, now a Real Estate Broker, had filled his office walls with architectural drawings and color renderings of his designs. “I think they were mostly unbuilt projects. As I recall they were very expressive, more Lautner than Wright. Truly optimistic and slightly space-age,” Jarson commented.

After a quick conversation, they shook hands always intending on meeting again. “At the time we were headlong into our specialty and no one else in real estate cared about architecture for sale. Fred was super excited about what we were doing. I fully intended to follow up with him, but time gets away from you.”

this story starts, for us at least, with the low-level ache of an unresolved regret.

FaLL 2013

Time passed and possibilities gradually drifted out of reach; Scott didn’t know it when Fred griffin died of a heart attack but he began to feel something unfinished. In the way that lost things bother you. “Those renderings haunt me.” Without any list of commissions, with only teasing clues about where and when, without even the bones of his biography or his training, with no sense of who Fred griffin was... That’s where we start.

Frederick Kirkwood griffin was born July 16, 1914, in Pittsburgh, PA. After moving to Ohio and Virginia, he ended up in Phoenix in 1945 where he and his mother Lillian starting selling Real Estate.

In the 1950s Fred found his professional footing in Phoenix, and got published regularly. His architectural career spanned for about 20 years before he obtained his Real Estate Broker’s

license and opened an office in Carefree right beside the sundial. As far as we can track, his design career involved nine homes, design work for the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive and one Carefree Cafe nearby his office.

His first, designed for himself in 1959, is often recognized as a bachelor pad. The current owners were looking at a neighboring property when they spotted a “crazy black wood fence, a really funky design”, a Mondrian looking arbor with attached square panels in red, yellow and blue. The front door revealed a small bronze plaque;

which is dog Latin for “If you’re not in a party mood, don’t even ring the bell.”

The house is a long rectangle positioned along the northern edge of the lot, with big south-facing windows oriented to the yard. Most of the yard was given to a large, irregular irrigation-fed pond adjacent to the house, with a toy-like bridge. Neighborhood legend holds that alligators lived in the pond, but the overall bohemian feel was in pretty sharp contrast to the surrounding neighborhood, then and now. Wrightian flourishes are evident in the woodwork, and unusual decorative elements like a wall in the kitchen made from liquor bottles set in concrete.

Abandoning bachelorhood, griffin and his wife Ann moved to Carefree where he owned land and reportedly was present for much of the town’s planning. There griffin designed a home that would be part sales office and part display house. It was meant to attract attention of anyone passing

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FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

by. They named it the Carousel House. Not quite round, but 36 sided and only 27 feet around, it was faced with colored disks on every side. The current owners love the home with it’s built-in furniture and low half circle, concrete landscape walls.

By 1963, griffin was the organizing force behind the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive along Scottsdale Road, north of Happy Valley and south of Carefree Highway. griffin designed the pullout informational display at the southern end, which is still there, in addition to the wood roadside “flora identifying signs” you’ll recognize with names like ”Creosote” and “Mormon Tea.”

It’s the Bendheim house, a remarkable house for remarkable clients, that puts him in a category that deserves attention.

Dr. Otto Lazarus Bendheim was born in germany in 1911 and educated in Chicago. He came west for the romantic promise of adventure. In 1950 Dr. Bendheim founded the Camelback Hospital. He had a national reputation in the psychiatric field and he and his wife Ronnie were well regarded as cornerstones of the Phoenix Jewish community. She was (and is) an accomplished ceramist.

In 1962 Fred griffin came to Ronnie Bendheim’s attention with a house on 28th Street, north of Indian School. In Ronnie’s words it had a Japanese aesthetic, “a sense of better-less-than-more”. No trace of that house remains today but it caught her eye. They’d considered Frank Lloyd Wright a few years before but chose to gamble on griffin.

The Bendheims laid out their requirements. This was a busy household: five children, two careers, and serious social obligations. Fred griffin responded with a large house of three ovoid petals attached to a central circle, like an old three-bladed electric fan. One lobe devoted to bedrooms, one devoted to the kitchen and dining, the third for office and study, the middle for the hearth and meeting-place.

As unusual as it was, it delighted the Bendheims upon seeing the model griffin made to show the design. This difficult form was successfully built from slumpblock. Although sold in 2012, Ronnie continues to be delighted with it 50 years afterward. And towards the architect, remembering him to be like-able and easy to get along with.Again, nods by griffin to Frank Lloyd Wright in the built-ins, and a water

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feature alarmingly close to the structure. In the middle circular intersection there’s a lovely spatial moment of absolute precise centrality, crisply marked like a compass in the terrazzo floor and marked overhead by a trio of intersecting beams. It’s a work of practicality, risk, and possibility whichever way you look.

By November 3, 1968, Fred had opened the offices of “Fred griffin Realty” at 7 Sundial Circle. By then he was the president of the Cave Creek Improvement Association, Vice President of the Cave Creek-Carefree Chamber of Commerce, with County and State Planning Board memberships too.

Fred griffin died of a heart attack, at age 84, in October 1998, with his architectural career well behind him. There is an independent western streak

that powered creations as diverse as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, Paolo Soleri’s Cosanti, and the Airform dome houses in Litchfield Park; all experimental structures in the Valley that looked like covers of science-fiction paperbacks.

griffin’s work looks good alongside those other wild improvisations. It’s that rocketship sense of imagination that makes him worth remembering. That’s what stuck in Scott’s memory all this time. We can learn from that.

waNT To read more? Walt Lockley’s complete original essay on Fred Griffin can be found on our Blog at azarchitecture.com and is linked here with interesting details of Fred Griffins’s life and career, plus list of the complete known works by Griffin. PHOtOgRAPHY: Bob Gojkovich jr.

Defining Desert Living

larry korneGay

rooted in an affinity for the landscape and a lifetime of dramatic architectural imagery, designer and artist larry kornegay finds much of his inspiration within the intricacies of nature.

larry’s love of concrete as a sculptural medium, combined with his passion for gardening and fine architecture led to the design and production of his first landscape containers. He continues to find inspiration in the symbiotic relationship between the creative process of designing site-specific pieces for public space, collaborating with fellow designers, and making sculpture.

kornegay design is dedicated to creating original, timeless designs realized through exceptional craftsmanship.

Simple in form yet intricately beautiful, kornegay design’s products are more than quality handcrafted site furnishings; they are sculptural elements that enhance any environment.

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OAK CREEK CANyONAs we get caught up in day-to-day living, it’s easy to forget about the enduring natural beauty that surrounds us in Arizona. A short get away can refresh your spirit. Less than two hours away from Phoenix there endures a natural location of stunning red rock sandstone formations and tree lined canyons that rival some of the worlds greatest vistas. That place is Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon.

PHOtOgRAPHY: Scott jarson

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Sedona, with signature formations and clever mountain names is often referred to as the “Little grand Canyon”. Named after Sedona Arabella Miller Schnebly, wife of the area’s first postmaster, she was celebrated for her hospitality. While much of this charming town can be a bit “touristy”, it’s fun to let go of preconceptions and explore it anew.

Approaching the Town from State Route 179 you can’t miss the dramatic modernist church, Chapel of the Holy Cross nestled in and among the rock. Completed in 1956 it was designed by the architecture firm of Anshen & Allen, who also did work for Eichler in California. The chapel appears to rise 250 feet out of a 1,000-foot red-rock cliff. It’s simple and dramatic form was recognized with the AIA Award of Honor in 1957. Much of this town grew in the 1960’s, and there is an underlying Mid-Century Modern history that is often forgotten but evident in some of the older homes.

The real magic begins as you head north of Sedona proper to enter the twelve mile stretch that is Oak Creek

Canyon. Take State Route 89A north from Town and you’ll enjoy a wandering drive through steep ravines and gentle tree lined meadows that hosts a rich and interesting history. This area was settled long before Sedona proper. John J. Thompson, moved to Oak Creek Canyon in 1876 and the site became well known for its peach and apple orchards.

you can stop at the spot of Thompson’s ranch site, now known as Indian gardens, originally a Native American farming area. Make an afternoon of it and be sure to schedule time for lunch at Indian gardens Oak Creek Market just across the highway, which offers a relaxed gourmet experience that will surprise you with the excellent selection and quality of the food. The patio is charming so plan to sit outside out if weather permits. Indian gardens Oak Creek Market is an Arizona landmark, celebrating 70 years on this historic property.

Further up the road you’ll want to visit Slide Rock State Park. With a modest entrance fee, it’s a great way to take in history and natural beauty

too. Originally a 43-acre apple farm, it is one of the few homesteads left intact in the canyon today. Slide Rock State Park is a fine example of early agricultural development in Central Arizona.

For the lucky few that have more time, there are a variety of “cabin” type lodges and camp grounds in the Oak Creek Canyon area that are available for overnight and even weekly stays, but be sure to plan ahead; many of these secret gems are booked years in advance!

A gentle place of four-season beauty, Oak Creek Canyon will help restore your romantic soul. Back home you’ll recall the dappled light filtering through the tree canopies, the soft call of the flowing water and sheer majesty of red rock walls and wonder again how you’ve been so lucky to be living in Arizona!

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Defining Desert Living FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

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PHOtOgRAPHY: Scott jarson

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In the mid-1950s, at the height of the Ranch-House craze in Arizona, a man by the name of Big Jim Mathews carved 15 acres out of a Scottsdale cotton field into small lots. He built a clubhouse, and christened the place The Oasis.

Eventually 95 mobile homes filled the park along with the on-site hobby shop, laundry room, shuffleboard courts, and heated swimming pool. The weekly potlucks and cocktail parties were dressy affairs, and helped build a vibrant community that continues to thrive today.

The Oasis is not your typical mobile home park. This historic Scottsdale landmark is a quintessential example of a relaxed American style of architecture that drew retirees and sun-seekers to the Southwest. The tiny yards are landscaped with great care with an eclectic eye toward whimsical landscape sculpture.

The western ranch-style that came to define Scottsdale in that era is evident. In nearly all cases the homes are permanently anchored to the site by roofs, cabanas, porches, and decks. Each distinctive home is probably double in size from its original “trailer” which is still visible in its center.

The multi-colored neon glow of the Round-Up Drive-In theater sign (situated right across the street) must have made an interesting contrast to the dark desert skies. The Drive-In is history now; Scottsdale has grown. The palm trees have matured, and the land values have increased, but The Oasis continues its weekly potlucks and bridge parties in a tight-knit community that still feels like home.

tHe oasIsBy ScoT T ja rSo N

Oasis Park, as featured in a postcard from the ‘50s.

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Valley Restaurants

InGo’s tasty FooD Will Bruder Architects 4502 N. 40th St., Phoenix The newest structure on 40th and Campbell has been a secret, a jewel-box of design created specifically for its purpose: Ingo’s is a new Cafe designed by Architect Will Bruder. With a walk-up eating counter and beer garden seating, it’s certainly a fresh idea. The curvilinear form features a beautiful array of custom concrete block with the exterior wrapped in a perforated metal screen. Inside, the counter is the center of attention. Bright orange swivel chairs are at once new and remembered: this is a fresh and modern version of a favorite food stand of your past.The menu is simple and clean with homemade pretzels, house-made veggie burgers, grass fed beef burgers and a brown rice meal. Beer & wine are offered as well. All of the menu items are available to go, but with design this interesting who would want to leave?ingostastyfood.com

PHOtOgRAPHY: Scott jarson

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st. FranCIs Wendell Burnette Architects 111 E Camelback Rd., Phoenix St. Francis Restaurant is a fusion of architecture and the cuisine of Chef Aaron Chamberlin. The designs of multiple spaces for dining are eclectic discoveries of indoor and outdoor spaces that uncover, rediscover and repurpose a piece of Arizona architectural history: the 1955 studio of architect Harold Eckman. A concrete wood-fired oven is board-formed at the heart of the restaurant flowing between one and two-story volumes supporting a new large opening in the double-wythe brick wall where a new double-height space becomes the watering hole for this neighborhood. Here an indoor-outdoor bar fronts the busy street where a full-height glass garage door opens the entire two-story volume to auto and pedestrian traffic entering the restaurant. stfrancisaz.com

PHOtOgRAPHY: christopher downs

FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

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Valley Restaurants

tuCk sHop / astor House DJ Fernandes 2245 N. 12th St., Phoenix Both born from a desire to fulfill the vision of bringing restaurants off of the main commercial strip centers and into the neighborhood. Specifically, the Coronado Historic Neighborhood is the home to Tuck Shop: a dinner only place that features comfort food and twists on familiar dishes and Astor House: her little sister next door featuring “Coronado ‘Cue”, hickory smoked BBQ beef, pork, bird and link. Design and architecture is meant to evoke a sense of community and intimacy within the residential fabric. Modest scale and homey accents pair well with the eclectic treatment of the cuisine providing a complete experience for our customers.tuckinphx.com / astorinphx.com

PHOtOgRAPHY: jill richards photography

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Fnb Craftsman Court T. S. Montgomery 7125 E 5th Ave., Scottsdale Restaurant FnB occupies what once was a working glass studio. What could be a more fitting home for an owner and chef who’s attention for detail, ingredients, and flavors elevate food to ART? Pavle Milic and co-owner Chef Charleen Badman built FnB into a clearly recognized force in cuisine. So when Pavle looked for a new space, it had to reflect a certain sensibility: “The height, windows and volume of space was really interesting. To find something in Scottsdale that couples character and history was irresistible.” Pavle likes the fact that the location is a bit of a surprise, with a stunning and romantic view. “It’s almost a time capsule” he said, “a suspension of reality.” Which is exactly how we feel after one of their great meals finished with the signature Butterscotch Pudding!fnbrestaurant.com

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PHOtOgRAPHY: Scott jarson

FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

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International Architecture

CaLIFornIa A combined car park and terrace covers the roof of this hillside house in Los Angeles. Anonymous Architects designed the single-story home placing the carport on the roof with the residence below. It is situated on the edge of a steep slope, so the floors are arranged from top to bottom, with an entrance on the roof and rooms on the level below.Car Park House Architect: Anonymous Architects Photography: Steve King

Japan Japanese firm mA-style architects designed this simple extension to the main house as a minimum living space. It pursues both maintaining distance and retaining fertile relationships. Koya No Sumika mA-style architects Photography: Kai Nakamura

arGentIna This design of a barbecue area, an extension of an existing house in an area with a high density of native forests. The program consisted of a covered area with a small bathroom, incorporating an existing grill and clay oven.Barbecue in the Woods Architects: Santiago Viale Lescano + Daniella Beviglia / Photography: Lescano + Beviglia

portuGaL This site is on the outskirts of Leiria, Portugal on a hill overlooking the city. The house is divided into a private area with bedrooms, and a social area with living-rooms. The private areas are at street level with rooms opening to private patios. The living rooms are around a void, that collects light from above.House In Leiria / Architect: Aries Mateus / Photography: Fernando guerra, Sergio guerra

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portuGaL Two accesses located on the opposite ends of the plot distinguish the two entrances: one situated at the highest level allows the car access to the garden and the house, at the lowest level there is access to a parking zone and garden-platform.Cardal House Architects: Cannatà & Fernandes Photography: Luis Ferreira Alves

neW zeaLanD The house is located on a rise on a Waikato farm overlooking vast limestone bluffs and rolling pasture. The house was commissioned by a young Auckland family with a desire to create a rural retreat to escape the city with immediate and extended family and/or friends. Farm House Architect: RTA Studio, Richard Naish Photography: Whitt Preston

nova sCotIa This project is situated in a glaciated, coastal landscape. The two pavilions float above the shoreline like two ship’s hulls up on cradles for the winter, forming protected outdoor places both between and under them. This is a full-time home for a family of four; consisting of a ‘day pavilion’ and a ‘night pavilion’ — like a pair of binoculars looking out to sea.Two Hull House Architect: Mackay-Lyons Sweetapple Photography: greg Richardson

portuGaL Lisbon studio Aires Mateus used only reclaimed timber to construct this pair of waterfront cabins in Comporta, Portugal. The two rustic structures offer a rural retreat for a pair of inhabitants. One hut contains a living area, while the other accommodates a bedroom with a small toilet and sheltered outdoor shower. The construction is entirely finished in reused wood subjected to the weather that will keep changing it. Cabanas No Rio / Architect: Aires Mateus / Photography: Nelson garrido

FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

1 HOlIDAY gIft WRAP It’s about time we had some festive gift

wrap for the adults! Introducing this tongue-in-cheek holiday giftwrap, and just in time.

americandesignclubshop.com

2 mutEWAtcH A hidden LED display, activated by touch

or by wrist movement, with vibrating timer and alarm functions to remind and alert.

mutewatch.com

3 bOxcAR SucculENt PlANtERS

A set of three solid Walnut wood planters with a natural finish and robin egg blue accents. Includes stainless-steel inserts.

revolutiondesignhouse.com

4 WINE RuNNER Space saving racks keep bottles neat and

organized, and corks from drying out. Designed by Jakob Wagner.

amazon.com

5 lAzERWOOD kEYS Bring the tactile beauty of wood to your

keyboard with Lazerwood Keys. Available in walnut or cherry wood.

shop.lazerwood.com

6 RIllEN vESSElS Recognizing the intrinsic, natural qualities

of wood, german artist Christoph Finkel pushes the limits of woodworking to create stunning, sculptural vessels.

store.luminaire.com

7 tOSHIkI kItcHEN kNIvES

White carbon steel & magnolia handles, made exclusively for Best Made by Toshiki Nambu, a 71 year old blacksmith in Japan.

bestmadeco.com

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8 INfINItE-tREE This tree is designed using measurements

from the golden Ratio, thought to play a role in the human perception of beauty.

areaware.com

9 NOblE mAPlE SYRuP

These ambrosial syrups are lovingly made in small batches using all natural flavors and bottled to look like they were plucked from the shelf of a 19th century grocer.

opensky.com

10 WAllY ONE PlANtER

Create an instantly lush vertical garden and experience the magical fun of plants in any environment. Made in the USA.

woollypocket.com

11 WARHOl PENcIl SEt

Eight hexagonal natural wood pencils have brightly hued erasers and are enlivened with silk-screened Andy Warhol aphorisms.

warholstore.com

12 tHERm-O bOttlE Made of borosilicate glass, this bottle will

keep your beverages the temperature you want- hot tea or coffee will stay hot, cool ice water/beverages will stay cool.

betterlivingthroughdesign.com

13 SAND cONtAINERS Handmade from a mixture of natural stone

powder with resin and a wood divider/lid to keep things put.

milkdesignshop.bigcartel.com

14 PARAllEl RADIuS RINg With an open channel exemplifying

contemporary design and creating a perfect modern wedding band. Ring is hand carved and lost wax cast.

claudiaendler.com

15 SHAPEmAkER blOckS Make funny faces, geometric patterns, and

good use of your hands and imagination. Hand-printed wooden blocks.

shhhop.com

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FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

What started as an idea to bring the simple comfort of a shady place for clients to sit and enjoy, grew to something that would not only enhance a business, but a neighborhood.

Shine Coffee, owned by Laryn and Christiaan Blok is located at 10 W. Vernon Street, just off the light rail and bordering the Willo Historic Neighborhood. A true urban coffee shop and tea room, patrons mostly come by bike or foot. A shade structure would be just the thing for people to linger under.

Suddenly Laryn saw the shade that she yearned for, but in nature and not structure. Next to the shop was a

forgotten lot that had been laying fallow and neglected for years. They could plant a welcoming bosque of trees on that site for a fraction of the cost and much less red tape to create an experience far better than any hardscaped patio, and in the process, add a little life to the streetscape.

But how to do this and do it well? This question led them to a chance introduction to Landscape Architect Kirby Hoyt. They quickly bonded through ideas and a mutual appreciation for what other great cities had successfully created in their urban centers. Places where people can come and relax with coffee and commune with friends and neighbors in a comfortable environment.

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The seeds of the idea came together with a plan to landscape the vacant lot and create a sort of “pop-up-park” that would be for the enjoyment not only of their customers, but the community. And not surprisingly the neighborhood has embraced it.

But none of this comes free, so the group turned to the online Kickstarter website to promote and raise funds for their project. In 30 days they succeeded in meeting their goal of $23,000 with over 300 backers.

As a result Phoenix Renews and Keep Phoenix Beautiful has taken an interest and elected to make this their second “official” park in downtown Phoenix. This

association will provide some additional trees and a proper plaque to mark the site.

What’s more, their success has become an inspiration for others to explore similar ideas for their communities.

Within nine short months a couple of ordinary people took an idea of creating shade and communion and by Thanksgiving it will become a reality (I’m thinking turkey leftovers in the park?). But first make sure to stop by Shine coffee as a thank you for bringing a little life to our community. get yourself the recommended Cardamom Latte and a fresh slice of pumpkin loaf and you’ll be made in the shade!

tHe seeDs oF tHe IDea Came toGetHer WItH a pLan to LanDsCape tHe vaCant Lot anD Create a sort oF “pop-up-park” tHat WouLD be For tHe enJoyment not onLy oF tHeIr Customers, but tHe CommunIty. anD not surprIsInGLy tHe neIGHborHooD Has embraCeD It.

FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

uNEquAlED vIEWS—tImElESS luxuRYThis hillside view home by Designer Clyde Rousseau lies in a beautiful box-canyon surrounded by Mountain Preserve between the Biltmore Area and PV.Price: $3,495,000.00

NORtH ScOttSDAlE vIEW lOcAtIONThis spacious contemporary home has it all: estate lot, block and steel details, six-car garage, tennis, pool and great Pinnacle Peak views! Irreplaceable.Price: $1,050,000

HIStORIc ADObE ARtS/OffIcE cOmPOuNDThe Stable galleria is a collection of ten unique and one-of-a-kind residential style office suites that anchor a historically significant arts area in Scottsdale.Price: $2,195,000

ARcADIA vIEW RANcHThis updated Arcadia Ranch home offers inspiring views of Camelback Mountain, coupled with great history and sensitive architectural renovation.Price: $1,298,700

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Property Listings | azarchitecture.com

Architecturally Unique Homes®

Pv/mOuNtAIN PRESERvE AREAThis classic Arizona Ranch Home offers a complete update with a contemporary vibe that makes this jewel in the desert an easy choice!Price: $859,000

lIvE/WORk/lIgHt RAIlHigh-efficiency meets modern in this pair of beautiful new Modern Contemporary homes by RD Design. Bonus flex-suite offers a perfect Live/Work solution.Price: $419,000

Al bEADlE ARcHItEctCamelback Place was designed by Valley favorite, Architect Alfred Newman Beadle and sports a complete update with designer quality and zen-like yard.Price: $449,000

NORtH cENtRAl luxuRY HOmESEco-sensitive design meets superb materials in this Modernist patio home to create a livable floorplan and superbly detailed living designed by Studio Ma Architects.Price: $479,000

ARIzONA RANcH cAmElbAck PlAcE

NEW mODERN! tHE gEORgE

All figures and measurements approximate: subject to error, omissions, withdrawal, prior sale and approval of purchase by owner. Copyright 2013 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.

azarchitecture.com 480.425.93003707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

There’s a new force for creative In-Fill homes. RD Design Team, consists of Dora Castillo and Rafael Castro, the dynamic husband and wife architectural design build team that’s poised to leave a lasting impression on the visual landscape of Phoenix.

Their personal story is as compelling as their obvious talents: graduating from Universidad Autonoma de Baja California in 1991, Rafael and Dora had embarked on a design-build career but economic downturns in their native Mexico led them to relocate. Soon after moving to Arizona they focused on building a vertically-integrated development company.

With three homes completed, they’ve moved forward with lot acquisitions that will allow them to create even more chic, affordable and eco-efficient modern homes.

Their blend of unique architectural style; Regional and Mexican influenced Modernism, makes their homes both livable and special. Naturally, working with azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson was an easy fit. They are fast becoming THE tour de force for Modern In-Fill homes.

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PHOtOgRAPHY: Highresmedia INSEt: Scott jarson

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azarchitecture.com 480.425.9300

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 experts in Architecturally Unique Homes©.

Meet our team or contact us to learn more about how we can help you.

KNOWLEDgE & ExPERIENCE

Copyright 2013 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.

FaLL 2013Defining Desert Living

azarchitecture.com 480.425.93003707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Architecturally Unique Homes®

If your home is currently listed this is not a solicitation. Copyright 2013 azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson all rights reserved.

Hk aSSocIaTeS, INc. finger rock House

PHOtOgRAPHY: Bill Timmerman