Iconic Mid-century Marvels in the Valley of the Sun

In the postwar era, Arizona's capital saw a boom in minimalist, desert-inspired architecture. With greats like Frank Lloyd Wright, Ralph Haver and Al Beadle shaping the architectural landscape of the Valley of the Sun at that time, it's no surprise that the city is brimming with unique buildings. Here, we learn from a local about five mid-century architectural gems you can visit in and around Phoenix.

As an Arizona native and fourth generation Arizona realtor, I find great joy in marveling at our local historic and mid-century architecture. I have a passion for preservation, which was passed down to me from my mom, Karen Lee Bertiger. She co-founded the McDowell Sonoran Land Trust in the 1990s, known currently as The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, which is the largest urban preserve in the United States (thanks, mom!).

As advocates for preservation, my twin sister, Christie Kinchen, and I have worked together over the last two decades to continue our mom's legacy of preservation. We have been successful in our efforts and have helped save many iconic buildings in the valley and look forward to continuing our efforts, so that future generations will get to experience the magic of our Valley's past.

There are many mid-century modern buildings around the Phoenix metro area. These five buildings are some of my favorites. While my list doesn’t include several landmark mid-century modern buildings, I think this list brings attention to adaptive reuse projects and places you can enjoy visiting year-round to support the preservation of mid-century modern architecture in Arizona.

The city of Tempe has a rich history and yet it continues to evolve to meet the demands of being a college town in the 21st century. In 1959, Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, and her husband, John Jay O'Connor III, chose to construct their family home in Paradise Valley using locally-sourced adobe from the Salt River bed.

The striking mid-century modern design by architect D.K. Taylor became endangered in 2009 when it was being slated for demolition. A grassroots effort to save the landmark house resulted in the house being moved brick by brick to Tempe in 2009. The famous home’s historical significance lies in legacy of O’Connor’s vast contribution to the fabric of our democracy.

The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy was born out of the preservation efforts to save the home, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. Sandra Day O’Connor's legacy lives on in her historic adobe home in North Tempe. Her historic home is a beacon of democracy, having hosted leaders and luminaries in an environment of civil discourse and mutual respect.

To learn more or for more information about upcoming tours, visit the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy website or the City of Tempe website.

Arguably one of the most iconic mid-century modern commercial buildings in Scottsdale, this Polynesian-inspired a-frame building is a master class in historic preservation and adaptive reuse. The entire building was moved piece by piece from its original location at 68th St. and McDowell and completely rebuilt as the home of Oliver’s Modern American restaurant.

The building was originally constructed for a Polynesian-themed Dairy Queen that opened in 1964. It operated in its original location until the mid 1980s. After the Dairy Queen closed, several other businesses operated out of the building until 2018 when the property was sold to a neighboring business owner. When word got out that the building was slated for demolition, a grassroots effort to "Save the Queen" was born.

The hyper-local South Scottsdale plaza where the building is now located is anchored by the iconic restaurant. Constructed from the ground up (twice!) this building is the pinnacle of retro cool. Be sure to order their signature cocktail The Queen, which is served in authentic 1960s Dairy Queen Tumblers. Don’t leave without checking out all memorabilia from the original Polynesian Dairy Queen, which is proudly displayed inside the restaurant.

For more informations and reservations, visit Oliver's Modern American's website.

Whether you are looking for a local old town Scottsdale hotel, world-class spa or chef-prepared cuisine, the historic Hotel Valley Ho is a must visit. Originally opened in 1956 and designed by architect Edward L. Varney, a student of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, its been named “one of the best-preserved mid-century hotels in the country” by author and architect Alan Hess.

After being cemented as a 1950s destination for celebrities, the charm of the mid-century design faded. The hotel changed hands in the 1970s, becoming part of a successful national hotel chain, which meant it was remodeled and much of its former retro coolness was covered over. In 2002, the hotel closed and the fate of the building seemed to favor demolition. After a years-long, massive restoration, the hotel re-opened in 2005.

The hotel's Cafe Zuzu is worth the visit alone to taste the creations of executive chef, Russell Lacasce. Spoil yourself at the VH Spa with a massage, facial or one of their many other spa services. Locals and visitors can book a 90 minute Magical History Tour, a walking tour of the Valley Ho, to explore the hotel with a local expert, Ace Bailey.

Combine crave-worthy food, impeccable interior design and iconic mid-century modern architecture and you have The Genuine. Local restaurant group Genuine Concepts transformed this location into their namesake restaurant. An excellent example of the adaptive reuse of a mid-century modern building, you wouldn’t know this used to be a branch of The Arizona Bank, but there are clues all around. This iconic building was built in 1961 and remains remarkably intact.

Architecture firm Haver, Nunn and Jensen designed the original building with unique features including sculptural concrete beams, stained glass slot windows and a precast concrete vault surround that resembles egg crate. The original bank vault is now the back bar and the Forno Bravo wood-burning oven is the showpiece of the open kitchen, sitting in the space where the bank’s conference room used to be. Breeze block surrounds the patio and mid-century styling creates a welcoming atmosphere inside.

Executive chef, Jeremy Pacheco, creates inspiring, sharable cuisine, with a focus on wood-fired creations. Enjoy local craft beers, wine and cocktails, including their signature smoked old fashioned, Up In Smoke.

Places of worship are often overlooked architecturally-unique buildings. The city of Scottsdale started a places of worship study over a decade ago with the purpose of cataloging the churches built in the postwar era. They were able to identify 34 places of worship built in the postwar era, including the mid-century modern church building known currently as Trinity Church.

Originally built in 1966 as the Glass & Garden Drive-in Church, it was designed by architect E. Logan Campbell who also instrumental in designing the Phoenix Zoo. The unique architecture showcases a round cylindrical exterior with a domed concrete roof. The circular design was meant to symbolize unity. Nearly the entire exterior of the church had modern floor-to-celling windows.

Around the top of the building is a sculptural concrete band that somewhat resembles icing on a cupcake. There have been some alterations to the exterior including covering some of the windows and smoothing out original lava rock veneer that was used for exterior steps and planters. The church remains a mid-century modern marvel and hopefully will continue to delight passers-by for years to come.