Falling Water (Frank Lloyd Wright)
From LoveToKnow Interior Design
Falling Water, more correctly Fallingwater, is one of the best surviving examples of architect Frank Lloyd Wright's concept of "organic" architecture, incorporating nature into building and design. In fact, Fallingwater is the only Wright building with the Wright-designed furnishing and the site still intact. The house, built between 1936 and 1939 for Pittsburgh retail mogul Edgar Kaufmann, is built over a running mountain stream and waterfall. Located in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh, Fallingwater has been a museum since 1964 and welcomes visitors to tour the one-of-a-kind home and site.
The House
Fallingwater is built of largely natural materials 30-feet atop a waterfall. Among the home’s most singular features are the two cantilevered concrete platforms that jut out from the stone main face of the building. These two planes form the living room below and the master bedroom above. Fallingwater is also unique in that it consists of equal parts inside and outside living areas. Inside the home, the living room fireplace hearth is made of boulders found on the site. The rough stone hearth contrasts with the smooth stone floor, intended to resemble stones lying in a creek bed. Much of the exterior is built of Pottsville sandstone, and local Pennsylvania oak is used for much of the woodwork and built-in furnishings.
Most of those original Wright-designed furnishings remain in the house. In addition, much of the Kaufmanns' extensive art collection is still in place. Items from the family's collection include works by Diego Rivera, Louis Comfort Tiffany, James Audubon, and Pablo Picasso.
Structural Problems and Restoration
As beautiful as Falling water is, it is not without its structural flaws. The original design for the cantilever platforms was controversial at the time it was being built, and the chief engineer on the project debated with Wright as to the amount of steel reinforcements needed. Losing the argument, the engineer quietly doubled the reinforcements. Though his actions were enough to save the house from likely collapse, they were not enough to prevent the platforms from sagging, more and more each year. In addition, as you would expect from a house built atop a waterfall, fighting mildew and mold is a continual battle. Still, despite all, the home remains a gem, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s finest.
The Pennsylvania Conservancy, which administers the museum, has sought to maintain and preserve Fallingwater since it first took ownership in 1964. The most ambitious of these renovation efforts was just completed in 2002. It sought to correct the reinforcements in the cantilevered platforms. By all accounts, their efforts have been successful.
Visiting Falling Water
Fallingwater is easily accessible from many Midwest and east coast cities via the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The museum is approximately 1 1/2 hours from Pittsburgh, two hours from Cleveland, and four hours from Philadelphia.
The museum is open daily except for Mondays from mid-March through the Thanksgiving Day weekend. It is also open on weekends in December and daily during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. The museum is closed during the months of January and February. Visitors may choose from a variety of tours, including the inside and outside of the house. Particularly popular is the periodic evening candlelight tour.
Visitors to Fallingwater can enjoy light meals, pastries, and beverages at the on-site Fallingwater Cafe, an airy, self-service eatery adjoining the property. Visitors will also enjoy the spacious museum gift shop, loaded with Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired gifts, cards, furnishings, and artwork.
Contact Information
Fallingwater
PO Box R
Mill Run, PA 15464
724 329-8501
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