Frank Lloyd Wright’s Final Home is Up for Auction
Countless architecture enthusiasts would undoubtedly love to get the keys to an original Frank Lloyd Wright home, and thanks to an upcoming auction, they’ll have a chance to make it a reality. The Norman Lykes home—the celebrated architect’s final residential design—is set to hit the auction block without reserve on October 16.
Heritage Auctions will oversee the bidding of the “Sun Circular House,” which hit the market back in 2016 with an asking price of $3.6 million before a second, more recent listing showcased the home at a more modest $3.25 million.
Located one mile from the Phoenix Biltmore, the Lykes house contains three bedrooms and three bathrooms and a total of 3,095 square feet. The residence features a curved exterior intended to help it blend seamlessly with the surrounding mountainous landscape. An aerial view highlights the home’s overlapping concentric layout, which gives it the appearance of a set of clock gears. The curvature extends to the home’s curved walls and crescent-shaped garden terrace pool. A second-story private office offers 360-degree desert views; stunning desert canyon views can also be seen from the master suite balcony. Another rare characteristic that makes the home even more appealing to fans of FLW’s work: It’s one of only 14 circular homes designed by Wright.
The architect designed the house shortly before his death in 1959; his apprentice John Rattenbury eventually built the home in 1967. Three decades later, the Lykes received a FLW Foundation-approved makeover in 1994, the results of which can be seen in the finishes chosen by the owner, including original handcrafted Hope’s windows, honed Italian marble rose in the master bathroom, stainless wrapped kitchen counters and hand-selected slate flooring from India. The home’s mid-century modern furniture is also included in the sale.
To join the other bidders vying to get their hands on this precious piece of architecture, check out the preview schedule and register online.