Taliesin West Closes Following a Fatal Accident—and Everything Else You Need to Know About This Week

• Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona, has closed to the public until further notice following a fatal accident during a guided walking tour last Friday. Rogério Renato Mateucci, rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Brazil, was struck and killed by material dislodged from the home's roof by strong winds. No other injuries were reported, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has extended its condolences to his family. (ARTnews)
  

• It turns out former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has been moonlighting as an urban planner—at least in Minecraft. After spending 12 years quietly building an elaborate block city in the popular video game, he’s finally giving the internet a tour. The first installment of his YouTube series covers everything from waterfront hotels to apartments with built-in aquariums. But it’s his attention to the little things that reveals a surprisingly serious approach to design. (Dwell)

• You bought the house. So why are you still paying for it? That’s the question driving America’s latest tax revolt. As Americans’ median annual property-tax bill climbed 25 percent between 2019 and 2024, proposals to slash or eliminate property taxes have gained traction in more than two dozen states. But here’s another question: What exactly are your property taxes paying for? (Politico)

• In summer of 2023, workers at Snøhetta narrowly voted against unionizing, marking the first time in 50 years a private sector firm had proposed such a vote, says Architectural Workers United. A year later, Bernheimer Architecture in New York ratified an agreement to unionize, making it the first arrangement of its kind in 80 years. Now, Dattner Architects, another New York firm, is mounting a union drive of its own. Here’s where things stand with the effort.  (The Architect’s Newspaper)

• Los Angeles set out to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025. Though its efforts have been trending in the right direction since a spike in 2022, the city still recorded 290 fatalities that year. Now, a 26-year-old law student is taking pedestrian safety into his own hands. Jonathan Hale leads People’s Vision Zero, a 150-person volunteer group that has been illegally painting crosswalks at dangerous intersections across L.A. He’s already been arrested once, but with city officials slow to act, the group has no plans to put down the paint. (Los Angeles Times)

• Apparently, "breakfast included" just doesn't cut it anymore. Luxury hotels are upping their amenity game with VIP access to the world’s biggest sporting events and the athletes that compete in them. Think rallying with Andy Roddick, surfing with the pros, and coveted courtside seats. See which hotels are getting in on the action. (Condé Nast Traveler)

Top photo courtesy Jim Steinfeldt / Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images