Description

.Wherever you live, there are always those buildings you think of that remind you of that place. They might be places you’ve never even been inside. But, when you’re driving or walking and come by that corner, you know it will be there. If it wasn’t there, it would be like a part of the city was missing. Those buildings become the place. Like landmarks that reassure you of where you are and how to find your way to anything else. These are the Phoenix buildings I think of when I think of buildings in Phoenix.

Originally, I created this map as a Bi-Weekly map for my Patreon supporters. But, it seemed to resonate with enough people that I decided to make it available here on my shop.

In addition to the usual contemporary architecture that we typically identify a city with, I’ve included structures we likely drive and walk over every day. Often, in the central portions of the city below many Phoenix buildings, lie countless and sometimes undocumented remnants of homes, farms, ball courts and more. Some archaeological evidence also shows layers of living structures on top of each other.

One Phoenix building we can’t take for granted is the most incredible canal system. Dug by hand over a thousand years ago, Phoenix’s ancient canals are a huge achievement. Our very own Grand Canal was dug along the same path as remnants of the Ancestral Sonoran Desert People’s canal system. Hundreds of miles of other canals lie beneath our feet as far east as Mesa and south into the Gila River.

This map celebrates angular mid-century architecture, early colonial structures and pre-historic achievements in the Valley of the Sun.

Hand-signed, 8.5″x11″ giclee print on Polar Matte Paper, unframed