Esoteric Survey

The Joshua Tree Retreat Center at the Ding Le Mei Institute of Mentalphysics, by Frank Lloyd Wright and his son, Lloyd.  The project was started by Frank and completed by Lloyd in 1946. FLW first designed Ding Le Mei's home, which is also on the property. His son Lloyd then came on to finish his father's designs for the rest of the buildings and oversaw the construction.“In the mountains of California, above the Mojave lies a plateau overlooking the desert, sloping to the East, facing the morning sun, into the West where San Gorgonio’s snow-capped peak reflects the glow of the setting sun. Here, The Institute of Mentalphysics is planning and building its city. Moved by a sense of the tranquil nobility and eternal beauty of the desert, I have planned, not a city of asphalt, paving and steel, or of tight mechanical grid and congested living barracks [but] a city of the Desert, spacious, free-sweeping; its broad floor carpeted by myriads of desert blossoms; its residents dwelling…

Alexander Girard mural at the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque, 1965
The mural is made of 5,000 tiles of reclaimed wood that were collected by Girard and his son Marshall.
Each of the 22 symbols represents a different faith. From the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque website: "Unitarian Universalist churches are non-creedal churches. We don't have one set of beliefs that everyone must share in order to join. Therefore, our churches are very diverse, theologically speaking. You will find liberal Christians, atheists, agnostics, pagans, Buddhists, and believers in all varieties of higher powers worshipping together, discussing their beliefs, and learning from each other. We think that diversity enriches us all as we talk about a reality that none of us can possibly know completely."







The key
The mural was originally installed in this space but a new larger sanctuary was built adjacent to this room and the mural was recently moved. The church staff person who was nice en…

Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, AZ, 1956. Richard Hein was the project architect and it was executed by August K. Strotz. Both architects were from the firm Anshen & Allen.
Pre-chapel Sedona Source: Sedona (Images of America), by Lisa Schnebly Heidinger, Janeen Trevillyan, and the Sedona Historical Society


The approach
If some sort of god were ever going to come down from the heavens, I'm pretty sure this would be the landing spot. Hey, what's that up at the top of the picture?


There are a series of these sculptural candleholders by Bernard "Tony" Rosenthal.
Hallelujah

I've been to Phoenix a bunch of times but had never been here.   This is Beadle Residence 6, or White Gates, by Al Beadle, 1958.

This place is so good. I'm totally in the Beadle fan club now. 
 Unfortunately, it's in bad shape.  It is supposedly being restored by the current owner, but it sure doesn't look like it. Read more on Modern Phoenix
At one point there was a matching garage.
 Period interior shots. Source: Mete The Beadles, by Peter J. Wolf

Next door is another Beadle. He also did a Case Study Apartment Building / Traid Apartments for Arts & Architecture. I'll visit there next time.    
An Edward Killingsworth house from 1957 was listed for sale so I went to check it out.  Apparently, Al Beadle used to live in the house. I can't find any vintage photos, or much information on it at all.  That's what I get  for lagging on ordering the book on Killingworth that came out earlier this year.  I just did, so hopefully there's some information on it.  Anyway, …