DWL Architects

DWL Architects + Planners Inc., is an architecture and planning firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The firm was founded in 1949 by Frederick Penn Weaver and Richard E. Drover as the firm Weaver & Drover. It later became Drover, Welch & Lindlan Architects and was then shortened to DWL. The firm has designed many noteworthy buildings throughout the state of Arizona.

History

Frederick Weaver and Richard Drover met while working for Edward L. Varney Associates in Phoenix. In 1949 the two left Varney's firm and established the firm of Weaver & Drover. The firm's early work was mostly residential, but by the mid 1950s they were designing bank buildings for local financial heavyweight Valley National Bank. Many of these bank buildings are considered exceptional examples of Mid Century Modern Architecture, and several are still in use today. By the end of the decade the firm had completed two student residence halls for Arizona State University. In the 1960s the firm expanded its portfolio with the completion of Terminal 2 at Sky Harbor. Designed in collaboration with Lescher & Mahoney, the modernist terminal building was the start of the firm's long standing relationship with the airport. Also in this decade the firm would design the Arizona Title & Trust Building in Downtown Phoenix. The high-rise building is said by many to be Phoenix's best example of the International Style. Among the firm's most recognizable work of the mid century period is the Hayden Library at Arizona State University and the Valley National Bank at 44th St. and Camelback in Phoenix. After Feed Weaver's death in 1968, Richard Drover reorganized the firm into Drover, Welch & Lindlan Architects, making Wallace Welch and James Lindlan partners. In the 1970s the firm would design several large scale projects such as Terminal 3 at Sky Harbor completed in 1979. In 1984 the firm name was Shortened to DWL Architects, In 1995 DWL designed the Glendale campus of Midwestern University, the firm has had a long-standing relationship with the university and has done work on both the Glendale campus and the school's main campus in Downers Grove, Illinois. Today the firm specializes in designing aviation, higher education and healthcare projects throughout the southwestern United States. The firm is one of the oldest locally owned architecture firms in Arizona.

Selected works

As Weaver & Drover 1949-1968
* Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Phoenix, Arizona, 1950
*Saint Anges Church, Phoenix, Arizona, 1953
*Valley National Bank, 1st Street and Country Club branch, Mesa, Arizona, 1954 (Demolished)
*Valley National Bank, 21st Place and Van Buren branch, Phoenix, Arizona, 1954
* South Mountain High School, Phoenix Arizona, 1954 (with H.H. Green, Lescher & Mahoney, John Sing Tang and Edward L. Varney)
*Christ Church Lutheran, Phoenix, Arizona, 1954
* Valley National Bank, 19th St. and McDowell branch, Phoenix, Arizona, 1956 (now McDowell Senior Center)
* Valley National Bank, 24th St. and Pinchot branch, Phoenix, Arizona, 1957 (now Chase Bank)
*Valley National Bank, Scottsdale and Main branch, Scottsdale, Arizona, 1959
*Valley National Bank, Tower Plaza branch, Phoenix, Arizona, 1959 (Demolished)
* Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church Additions, Phoenix Arizona, 1960
* Security Center Building, Phoenix, Arizona, 1961
* Alhambra High School, Phoenix, Arizona, 1961
*Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ, Scottsdale, Arizona, 1961
* Terminal 2 at Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, 1961-1962 (with Lescher & Mahoney)
*Second Church of Christ Scientist, Phoenix, Arizona, 1962 (now Myanmar Grace Church)
* Maryvale High School, Phoenix, Arizona, 1963
* East High School, Phoenix, Arizona, 1964 (Demolished)
* Arizona Title & Trust Building, Phoenix, Arizona, 1964
* Charles Trumbull Hayden Library at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 1964-1966
* Valley National Bank, 56th St. and Thomas branch, Phoenix, Arizona, 1965 (now General Southwest Insurance)
* Bonanza Airlines Corporate Headquarters, Phoenix, Arizona, 1965-1966
* Valley National Bank, Cave Creek-Carefree branch, Cave Creek, Arizona, 1966 (now Chase Bank)

As Drover, Welch & Lindlan 1968-1984

*Desert Samaritan Hospital, Mesa, Arizona 1970-1972 (with Caudill, Rowlett & Scott) (now Banner Desert Medical Center)
*Ethington Memorial Theatre at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona, 1971
* Desert Financial Arena at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 1972-1974
*Salt River Project Administration Building Addition, Tempe, Arizona, 1974
*Addition to Phoenix General Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona, 1974 (Demolished)
*Phoenix Zoo Orangutan Exhibit, Phoenix, Arizona, 1974
*Granite Mountain Junior High School, Prescott, Arizona, 1976
*Maryvale Samaritan Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona, 1976-1978 (now Abrazo Maryvale Campus)
*Highland Park Office Building, Scottsdale, Arizona, 1981
* Noble Library at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 1982-1983
*Valley Lutheran Hospital, Mesa, Arizona, 1982-1983 (now Banner Baywood Medical Center)
*Paradise Valley Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona, 1983 (now Abrazo Scottsdale Campus)

As DWL Architects + Planners 1984–present

* Music Building Expansion at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 1992 (with The Mathes Group)
* Renovation of Terminal 3 at Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, 2017-2020 (with SmithGroup, AECOM and Corgan)
* Terminal renovation at Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, Arizona, 2015

References

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1949 establishments in Arizona
Architecture firms based in Arizona
Companies based in Phoenix, Arizona