Charles Robert Schiffner

The Valley mourns the passing of noted architect, artist, poet, and arts supporter Charles Robert Schiffner, 75, who passed away at his home on December 28th, 2023. Designer of the Ahwautukee House of the Future (1980), the aesthetic designs for the Outer Loop 101 Pima Freeway, the Painted Cliffs and McQuireville Arizona State Highway Rest Area Program, his designs reflect his Native American heritage, a childhood growing up amidst the Sierra Nevadas, and fourteen years as a student and staff architect at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. 

Schiffner was born on September 2nd, 1948 in Reno, Nevada. He grew up in Nevada City, CA, a lumber town about 60 miles from Lake Tahoe. After the death of his father in 1963, Charles moved with his mother to Sacramento, CA, where he graduated from high school and enrolled at Sacramento City College. 

One day, in an architectural delineation class, a fellow student tossed him a brochure, an application to the FLLW School of Architecture, Taliesin West, Scottsdale, AZ. Thinking it might be a better alternative to college, Charles filled out the application and sent it in. He soon received a letter from the registrar, inviting him to interview with Mrs. Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West.

Charles joined the Taliesin Fellowship in the fall of 1968 embracing the principles of Organic Architecture in his life and work. In 1972 he married the late Iovanna Lloyd Wright and expanded his talents to writing poetry and art. 

In 1983 he married Adrienne, also a member of the Taliesin Fellowship. Together they left Taliesin and opened Charles’ architectural office in Phoenix, Charles Robert Schiffner Architect Ltd. Many projects followed, including numerous residences located throughout the United States, the Seventh Day Adventist Executive Headquarters for the State of Arizona, 33 West Missouri Condominiums, the restoration of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Raymond Carlson Residence, the Eaglewing Replacement Housing for the Salt River Pima/Maricopa Indian Community, the aesthetic designs for the 101 Pima Freeway, the Gila River Wild Horse Pass Casino, the Painted Cliffs and McQuireville Arizona State Highway Rest Area Program, the Government Resource Center for the Yavpai/Apache Prescott Tribe, and the Virginia Ullman Learning Center at the Heard Museum to name just a few. 

Often asked what type of architecture he specialized in, Charles responded “everything from freeways to furniture.”

His designs received multiple awards including the American Institute of Architects Honor Award/Western Mountain Region in 1993, Sunset Magazine’s Western Home awards in 1989 and 1991, and the AIA Arizona Merit Award in 1993. A staunch proponent of organic architecture, he lectured at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, mentoring both students and architects. 

An ardent supporter of the arts, Charles served on the Board of the Scottsdale Cultural Council and was a member of the Public Art Committee. He was proud to support the Organic Architecture and Design Archives located in Chandler, AZ, which devoted the spring 2023 issue of their Journal of Organic Architecture and Design to his work. In December of this year, the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale honored him with an exhibition of his abstractions and poetry.

Charles is survived by his wife Adrienne, his children Annabelle and William, his stepdaughters Eve Lloyd Binnie, Anita Burchett Claussen, and Arianne Burchett, his grandchildren Alexia Burchett, Julian Claussen and Isabella Claussen, and great-grandchildren Adrian and Daniel Burchett. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Donations in Charles’ honor can be made to the OA&D Archives, ℅ Mike Rust, 1321 W. McNair Street, Chandler, AZ 85224.