These 7 Unique Houses In Arizona Will Make You Look Twice…And Want To Go In
As local travel experts, we know what travelers are looking for when it comes to finding the perfect accommodations for their next trip. To compile our lists, we scour the internet to find properties with excellent ratings and reviews, desirable amenities, nearby attractions, and that something special that makes a destination worthy of traveling for.
I grew up surrounded by architecture and construction, so that may explain why my family has a predilection for strange houses. In a profession centered around creating the same thing over and over again, desiring something different is to be expected. For example, for as long as I can remember, my dad has had a fantasy about owning a home that is, at least exterior-wise, a nice replica of the Millennium Falcon. My mom, in the meantime, has always talked about having a Gaudi-esque earthship house–and my sister wants to eventually retire in a Hobbit house masked in the side of a hill. As for me? I know I would want something unique to me, but I’m too indecisive to make a final decision.
If you also want a house that sings you but aren’t quite sure where to start, here are a few very unique homes located across Arizona that may inspire you. Check them out!
1. Let’s start this list with a look at a unique cave house in Bisbee.
Built by Italian architect Paolo Soleri, it served as his studio, gallery, and home until his 2013 death. It is known for his signature arcology style and for working directly with the earth to cool and heat the house during different seasons.
Built towards the end of his career, this house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and sits in the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix. The home has a design that is reminiscent of both the Guggenheim and Gammage Auditorium.
The original owners' grandchildren inherited the house, who in turn sold it to a developer who planned to demolish the home. It was later purchased by another company that is restoring the home and turning it into an attraction similar to Taliesin West. You can scheduled a tour at the foundation's website.
4. This golfball house in Yucca once started as a development landmark project that never came to fruition.
Strange and definitely not up to city code, the Mystery Castle was built in the 1930s by Boyce Luther Gulley, inspired by the sandcastles he used to build with his daughter. Gulley initially thought he was going to die from tuberculosis and left his Seattle family in 1927 but did not die until nearly two decades later. The castle was left to his wife and daughter after his death and they later moved into the home.
Arguably one of FLW's most famous residences, Taliesin West served as his winter home, studio, and school. You could see it as his love letter to the desert based on how the building is situated to work with the landscape and even, to a degree, mimics elements of the land. Since he used the home in the winter months, the build was designed to make the best use of sunlight for his studio.
What would your ideal fantasy home look like? I’d like to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
