Frank Lloyd Wright’s Phoenix Circular Sun House Returns to the Market

Listed at $ 7,950,000 with Deanna peters from HomeSmart, the eye-catching, curvy property – there’s a reason it’s dubbed Circular Sun – features three bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Built in 1967 for Norman Lyke, it has the distinction of being Wright’s final design before his death in 1959. It sits on 1.32 acres of land.

Peters notes that the sale of the home can include custom furniture, if the buyer wishes.

Designed to blend in with the surrounding desert mountains, the property is near the Arizona Biltmore, a luxury resort Wright consulted on, as well as the Phoenix Mountains Preserve.

Wright only designed 14 circular houses, including this one. Interiors measure approximately 3,100 square feet, with overlapping concentric circles driving the design.

While the exterior is made of concrete block – with cutouts in the shape of crescents, circles, and triangles – the curved interior walls were made from Philippine mahogany and the kitchen counters are wrapped in steel. stainless.

Italian pink marble adorns the master bathroom and the slate floors are sourced from India. Wright’s signature banquette surrounds the living room, which features a silo-shaped fireplace.

For outdoor entertainment, there’s a crescent-shaped pool with inlaid mother-of-pearl tiles and a water feature. Many patios further celebrate the design of the home by showcasing an alternate view.

After languishing in the market for three years – at an all-time low, the asking price was $ 2.65 million – the seller bought the Wright-designed piece of jewelry in November 2019 at a serious discount. in an auction.

According to Peters, the owner has carried out a campaign of renovations, adding internet and cable as well as four air conditioning units.

Much of the house has been well preserved.

“There is so much custom woodwork in this house,” says Peters.

The office on the top floor of the house, with built-in elements, would be ideal for working from home during the pandemic.

But the selling point are the views: Palm Canyon plus the scintillating Phoenix skyline at night.

“The views are incredibly breathtaking,” says Peters. “There is a view from every window in this house. “

Who will be Wright’s next final design steward?

“It’s a home from home for someone, someone who is passionate about Frank Lloyd Wright or wants something unusual,” says Peters.

She says she’s heard from potential buyers who wouldn’t be put off by the price, and she says she thinks the property is likely to sell out quickly, close to the asking price.

“We got calls from a few people who were also considering using it as a museum,” she adds.

Given concerns about historic preservation, this wouldn’t be a museum with hordes of people walking around.

“It might be a museum on some days, and it can be a very selective group to see it,” she says.

But why is it returning to the market so early? The potential for quick profit is looming in the wilderness.

“The owner of the property intended to invest and uses it as Airbnb, very selectively,” says Peters.

As an example of Wright’s work fetching high prices, she notes the 2019 sale of the fully restored Ennis House in Los Angeles for $ 18 million.

“I think there is a great demand for Wright’s work,” says Peters. “Being its final design, that makes it even more valuable. “