A Planning project to address storage improvements for the collections housed at Taliesin West, the winter home and architectural laboratory of Frank Lloyd Wright, in Scottsdale, Arizona. The collection includes thousands of objects, such as furniture designed by Wright in addition to fabrics and decorative objects, Japanese woodblock prints, Asian screen paintings, textiles, rare books, and archival materials from the Taliesin Associated Architects program.

Based on recommendations from the FLWF Preservation Committee and CAP reviewers, the FLWF requests an NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections planning grant to prepare a comprehensive Collections Storage Improvements Plan to resolve critical storage issues at Taliesin West. This will fund an external consulting team of a Preventive Conservator and an Architect/Engineer to work with FLWF Collections and Preservation staff and prepare the plan which will set out the reallocation of collections and spaces, necessary envelope and systems improvements for environmental management, fire safety and security, and identification of appropriate storage furniture for efficient use of space, sequencing and phasing for full implementation. The request includes $10,000 to implement critical building upgrades as a pilot project, wherever the greatest need is identified. The actual pilot project will depend on the recommendations of the Collections Storage Improvements Plan.

The purchase and installation of environmental monitoring equipment to aid in the preservation of collections housed at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona, modern historic homes designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  The library, archival, and museum collections in each home include historic furnishings, many designed by Wright himself, Wright’s own Asian art collection, and architecture and design materials related to the practice, history, and theory of architecture.

The purpose of this project is to purchase and install 31 Data Loggers in the historic interiors and collection storage areas at Taliesin in Wisconsin and Taliesin West in Arizona, Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes and working complexes. The Data Loggers will monitor spaces where historic furnishings and art are on display, books and periodicals are actively used, and drawings, artifacts and artworks are stored. The data will inform selection of future mechanical climate control systems, maximizing our ability to preserve these treasures. Wright and his apprentices designed, built and often modified the buildings at both locations. The pastoral Wisconsin estate sharply contrasts his Arizona desert camp. These extraordinary buildings did not feature mechanical climate control during Wright’s lifetime, relying instead on architectural design elements to address changing weather. Today, as National Historic Landmarks, artificial climate control IS a concern.