Monthly Update
Save the Date: 2025 OA+D Celebration in Chandler
SAVE THE DATE
"Sonoran Shapes and Structures: Desert-Inspired Architecture and Design"
2025 Organic Architecture + Design Celebration
Chandler Museum, Chandler, Arizona
Saturday, November 15, 2025
Mark your calendars for a special gathering celebrating the legacy and future of organic architecture in the desert. Hosted in partnership with the Chandler Museum, this year’s OA+D Celebration brings together Fellows, friends, and enthusiasts for a day of learning, connection, and inspiration.
Event Highlights
• Symposium (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM): Featuring special guest lecturers on the enduring influence of desert-inspired organic design.
• Evening Social & Exhibit Viewing: Reconnect with the OA+D community while exploring the exhibition Sonoran Shapes and Structures.
• Fundraising Opportunities: Support OA+D’s mission through purchases of publications, products, and bid on rare and unique items.
This is your chance to celebrate, learn, connect, and contribute to the future of organic architecture.
Save the date—Saturday, November 15, 2025—and stay tuned for registration details, speaker announcements, and fundraising opportunities.
For those interested in sponsoring the event, please contact us at info@oadarchives.org
More information coming soon at oadarchives.org.
From The Archives
This month we feature a rare architectural artifact: an original door knob and back plate from the Union Trust Building (1893) in St. Louis, Missouri, designed by Louis Sullivan and assisted by his chief draftsman, Frank Lloyd Wright.
Manufactured by Yale & Towne in cast iron, this knob and plate set reflects Sullivan’s mastery of ornament—bringing natural forms and organic patterning into even the most functional elements of architecture.
The Union Trust Building was one of Sullivan’s most important Midwest commissions. Completed in 1893, it originally stood twelve stories tall and featured a grand central rotunda capped by a skylight. Sullivan’s richly ornamented terra cotta exterior made the building a downtown landmark. Over time, the structure underwent significant alterations, including the removal of its top stories, yet it remained central to St. Louis’s commercial life.
Today, carefully restored as the Hotel Saint Louis, the building continues to honor its Sullivan legacy. As the hotel proudly states: “This jewel, designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan and worked on by his lead architect Frank Lloyd Wright went through many changes in its lifetime. We hope you see their hands in the beauty of the hotel.”
If you have archival materials related to Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Taliesin Fellowship, or any other organic architectural or design items that you're interested in donating for our growing collections, please let us know by contacting us at info@oadarchives.org.
OA+D NEWS & EVENTS
NOW AVAILABLE: Journal OA+D V13:N2 :: Architecture of Ken Dahlin
Volume 13, Number 2 of the Journal of Organic Architecture + Design is here and already landing in members’ mailboxes. This issue spotlights architect Ken Dahlin, a leading voice in contemporary organic design. Both practitioner and scholar, Dahlin fuses Frank Lloyd Wright’s timeless principles with a modern approach rooted in beauty, harmony, and innovation.
Across forty full-color pages, readers will find richly illustrated examples of Dahlin’s residential and commercial work, along with his own essay on design philosophy. It’s a compelling look at how organic architecture thrives in the 21st century—a must for anyone inspired by Wright’s legacy.
Get your copy HERE or, better yet, join the Friends of OA+D as a sustaining members and enjoy auto-renewing subscriptions so you will never miss an issue again.
Help Preserve the Legacy of Organic Design
The Organic Architecture + Design Archives exists to preserve and share the story of organic design—from rare drawings and photographs to personal papers and historic publications. But this work is only possible with the ongoing support of our sustaining members.
When you join the Friends of OA+D you ensure that this legacy is not only protected but also made accessible through our Journal of Organic Architecture + Design, traveling exhibits, and public programs. Your commitment provides the steady support that allows us to care for collections, publish new research, and inspire future generations.
As a sustaining member, you’ll enjoy:
• An auto-renewing subscription to the Journal of Organic Architecture + Design
• Limited-edition thank-you gifts created exclusively for members
• Insider updates/event access, keeping you at the center of the OA+D community
Your membership makes a direct difference. Don’t wait—be part of the effort to keep organic architecture’s story alive and thriving.
Become a Sustaining Member at oadarchives.org