Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
This exceptional residence is available for short-term stays through Airbnb and Vrbo. For long-term lease inquiries, please contact (602) 315-1426. The property is also being offered for purchase at $8.9 million.
6836 N 36th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85018
“The Norman and Aimee Lykes house is the ultimate progression of Wright’s fascination with geometry, drawn entirely of circles, intersecting and interacting,” says Brent Lewis, director of design for Heritage. “In this way, it’s consistent with some of the other well-known projects completed by Wright in the 1950s, such as the spiraling Guggenheim Museum in New York and Dallas’s Kalita Humphreys Theater.
For short-term rentals (less than two weeks), please book through Airbnb or Vrbo. For stays longer than two weeks, call (602) 315-1426.
The 3200 square foot design is rather futuristic-looking, wrapping around and seemingly into the mountain itself. Even at the end of Wright’s life and career, he still adhered to his philosophy of organic architecture that blend with its surroundings.
“This circular home with rounded windows and walls, custom built in furniture, and a crescent shaped pool is perched on a mountain overlooking Phoenix with a 180 degree view from the living room. Spectacular inside and out, yet noticeably calming, its curves follow the mountain backdrop.” – Anne Stupp, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Board of Trustees
The Phoenix home is built into the side of the mountain, offering breathtaking views of the city. Wright designed the home specifically for the rocky, uneven site.
Located on more than 1.3 acres on the edge of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom estate covers 3,200 square feet. Designed specifically to blend into the desert and constructed from concrete blocks resembling the surrounding boulders, the curvaceous structure looks just like a natural part of the landscape. Most of the home’s windows avoid direct sunlight, yet the interiors are filled with light and offer spectacular views of Palm Canyon.
The home’s master suite features a balcony offering views of the canyon and valley, while the second-story office offers up a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. According to its listing, the residence features Philippine mahogany handcrafted throughout and comes with mid-century modern furnishings included. It also a has garden terrace that includes a pool lined with mother-of-pearl.
An abundance of storage space can be found throughout the house, with the original built-ins lining the hallways and walls.
Adjacent to the circular kitchen and living room, there is a small television room, which was originally designed as a workspace. Next to the room is a narrow, spiral staircase leading up to an office.
The Norman Lykes House: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Final Architectural Masterpiece
Frank Lloyd Wright is often regarded as America’s greatest architect, leaving behind a legacy of over 1,000 designs that transformed the way people think about modern living spaces. His career spanned more than seven decades, producing iconic works such as Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. Yet, among this expansive body of work, one home stands apart: the Norman Lykes House in Phoenix, Arizona.
Known as the last residential design created by Frank Lloyd Wright before his death in 1959, the Norman Lykes House (sometimes called the Circular Sun House) is more than a home—it is a testament to Wright’s genius, his exploration of organic architecture, and his ability to push boundaries until the very end of his career.
A Home Born From the Desert
The Norman Lykes House sits high on the slopes of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, overlooking the city below. Designed in 1959 for Dr. Norman and Aimee Lykes, the home was intended to be both functional and a seamless extension of the surrounding desert.
Although Wright passed away before construction began, the house was later completed in 1967 under the supervision of Wright’s apprentice John Rattenbury. Rattenbury remained faithful to Wright’s circular design, ensuring that the house retained the spirit and philosophy of his mentor.
From its curved walls to its flowing layout, the home embodies Wright’s principle of creating structures that are “of the hill, not on the hill.” Instead of imposing on the rugged terrain, the house nestles into the mountainside, appearing as if it naturally grew from the rocks and desert vegetation surrounding it.
Breaking Away From the Straight Line
For much of his career, Wright was known for his use of straight lines and rectilinear forms, particularly in his Prairie Style homes. However, the Norman Lykes House demonstrates his late-career exploration of circular geometry, a design language he had only experimented with in a handful of projects, such as the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the unbuilt Baghdad Opera House.
The home’s design is built entirely around arcs and circles. Rooms radiate from a central core, and the rounded walls guide movement fluidly from one space to the next. Even the windows, pool, and custom furniture reflect this curvilinear theme. The absence of sharp corners creates a feeling of continuity, openness, and harmony with nature—an effect that feels surprisingly modern even today.
Interior Design and Features
The Norman Lykes House measures roughly 3,100 square feet and includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and multiple living spaces. True to Wright’s tradition, nearly all the furniture was custom-designed to fit seamlessly within the curved architecture. Built-in seating, shelving, and desks eliminate unnecessary clutter, creating a cohesive and unified environment.
Key features include:
- Circular Pool: Nestled into the landscape, the pool mirrors the desert sun and reflects the rounded geometry of the house.
- Expansive Windows: Carefully positioned to frame panoramic desert and city views, while flooding the interior with natural light.
- Custom Interiors: Wright-designed cabinetry, closets, and furniture ensure no detail feels out of place.
- Flowing Floor Plan: The circular design eliminates hallways, maximizing usable space and creating seamless transitions between rooms.
Materials such as natural wood, stone, and concrete reinforce the organic aesthetic, grounding the home in its desert setting.
The Rarity of a Circular Wright Home
While Wright designed over 500 completed works during his lifetime, only a small handful embraced circular geometry. Among these, the Norman Lykes House stands as one of the most complete and striking examples.
This rarity makes the home especially significant to architectural historians and collectors. It represents Wright’s willingness to experiment and evolve, even in his final years. Where many architects might have settled into predictable patterns late in their careers, Wright continued to innovate and challenge traditional ideas of what a house could be.
Market Value and Real Estate Significance
Over the decades, the Norman Lykes House has attracted attention not only for its architectural importance but also for its rarity as a Wright-designed property still in private ownership.
The home has been listed for sale, including a high-profile listing at $8.9 million. Its market value extends beyond square footage or luxury amenities; it is considered a functional piece of art. To own the Norman Lykes House is to own a chapter of American cultural and architectural history.
Some Wright homes across the country have been preserved as museums or part of university collections, while others remain private residences. Each time a Wright home becomes available for purchase, it garners international attention from collectors, historians, and admirers of mid-century modern architecture.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Philosophy in Practice
The Norman Lykes House captures many of Wright’s lifelong architectural philosophies:
- Organic Architecture – The home blends seamlessly into its desert environment, appearing as though it is part of the mountain itself.
- Harmony of Form and Function – Every detail, from the built-in furniture to the circular layout, serves both an aesthetic and practical purpose.
- Innovation Through Design – Wright continued to innovate with circular geometry, demonstrating his restless creativity even at the end of his career.
For Wright, architecture was never static. It was always evolving, shaped by nature, technology, and the human experience. The Norman Lykes House embodies this evolution.
A Living Legacy
Today, the Norman Lykes House stands as both a private residence and a monument to Wright’s enduring genius. Visitors and admirers often describe it as one of the most striking examples of desert modernism, where architecture and landscape exist in perfect balance.
It has been featured in architectural tours, books, and documentaries, drawing attention not only for its design but for what it represents—the culmination of a lifetime of exploration by one of history’s greatest architects.
Conclusion
The Norman Lykes House is far more than the final home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright—it is a testament to his ability to innovate, adapt, and push architectural boundaries until the very end. Its circular geometry, organic integration with the desert landscape, and custom-designed interiors make it one of the most unique and important Wright homes in existence.
For historians, architects, and design enthusiasts, the home is a living masterpiece—a reminder of Wright’s lasting influence and his vision of architecture not as static buildings, but as organic extensions of the natural world.
As it continues to draw attention on the real estate market and among preservationists, the Norman Lykes House remains a rare opportunity to not just own a home, but to live within a piece of history.