| The ubiquitous red-tiled roofs and stuccoed walls of the sprawling "edge city" communities of metropolitan Phoenix reflect much more than the Hispanic heritage of the desert southwest. They speak also to the unique role of the myth of the romantic West, the influence of California architects, developers and preservationists, and the economic and environmental conditions as determinant factors in the look of today's domestic architecture. Tracing the history of domestic architecture in the Phoenix area, from the earliest pit dwellings of the Hohakam to the present-day "taco deco" suburban homes, these influences are examined. Questions of the appropriateness of the present-day style of popular domestic architecture, and it's contribution to "sense of place" in a desert environment are considered. |
