This innovative commercial concept by our former Senior Architect, Howard Madole, is a significant piece of Phoenix’s architectural history.
Built in 1977, this two-story structure is a challenging design, featuring a second floor that’s four feet wider than the first to allow for a 45-degree vertical return from the exterior. Inside, the lobby opens to a ceiling of natural light, creating a sense of height and space. Most notably throughout, linear structures and patterns captivate the viewer as is characteristic of each Madole design.
In 1955 during the early years of Taliesin West, Madole studied under Frank Lloyd Wright and was instrumental in building the Usonian house that currently resides there. As an architect, Madole adopted certain design elements from Wright, but it was his propensity to improvise that made each creative vision his own. His skilled background as a carpenter and construction laborer ensured that the designs he drew in his mind met the realities of gravity, materials, and space.
As Madole told Alison King of the Modern Phoenix blog, “[Construction knowledge] is what allows you to improvise successfully, and a lot of what makes for interesting architecture is improvisation.”
Howard Madole passed away on January 19, 2015. He was known as "Sedona's first architect," and was the great uncle to our Founding Partner, Jared Nanke.