Lost Frank Lloyd Wright architecture...

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Two visionary men. One desert camp. Inspiration for a lifetime. Chandler Museum's newest exhibition, "Ocatilla: Frank Lloyd Wright's Lost Desert Masterpiece," will be on view at the Chandler Museum from Oct. 27, 2026, to February 2027. This exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Organic Architecture + Design Archives (OA+D) and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

In 1929, architect Frank Lloyd Wright constructed a camp to learn about life in the desert and find inspiration for his upcoming project-a resort Dr. A.J. Chandler spent a decade envisioning. Wright named the camp "Ocatilla." Here, Wright and his draftsmen experimented with ways architecture could respond to the desert's beauty and its constraints. The camp quickly vanished, but the ideas did not.

The spelling "Ocatilla" preserves Frank Lloyd Wright's original nomenclature for the desert camp. He favored this botanical misspelling for its "asymmetry," reflecting his philosophy that "there should be no obvious symmetry in building in the desert."

The exhibition will include a 1:1 scale mockup of an Ocatilla cabin that visitors can experience, architectural drawings, historic photographs and film footage from collections at the OA+D Archives, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library at Columbia University, and more.

Jody Crago, director of the Chandler Museum, said, "This exhibition is the culmination of years of research into the history of Frank Lloyd Wright's work and Dr. Chandler's vision. We are excited to create a 1:1 Frank Lloyd Wright camp cabin, allowing visitors to get a glimpse into what life was like for Frank Lloyd Wright and his team during their season of desert living."

Joseph Specter, President and CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, shared, "We are excited to be partnering with Chandler Museum and OA+D on this timely exhibition. It advances Wright's legacy and also speaks to urgent questions of our time."

The Chandler Museum will be hosting a Media Day for organizations to interview curators, capture footage and more:

• Monday, Oct. 26 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, please RSVP with Kiersten Edgett at 480-782-2879.

The Chandler Museum is located at 300 S. Chandler Village Drive. It is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m.; and closed Mondays. Admission is free.

Find more information on the exhibitions and programming online at Chandler Museum or by calling 480-782-2717.

Media contact:
Kiersten Edgett
Chandler Museum
480-782-2879