11/07/2017

Man and Nature – A Visit to Fallingwater in Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA

There’s been a little hiatus from my day trips out to different locations here on the blog, but due to popularity I’ve been thinking about making this type of article in to a full series. I think creating content such as this has been a hit with many of the readers, so on my travels I will try harder to document them in more detail. Today is a short post but I wanted to shed a few thoughts on my visit to Fallingwater, also known as the Kaufmann Residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935.

Located in rural southwestern Pennsylvania, the house was designed a weekend home for the Kaufmann family, owners of Kaufmann’s department store. Frank Lloyd Wright was 67 years old at the time and was commissioned to design a piece of architecture that could replace an existing rural retreat, a set of cabins that had deteriorated on this exact spot. If you’re interested in the design of the property and the construction then I would recommend reading the various sources available online, but I wanted to point out some of the things that spoke to me, as well as highlight a few photos from the trip.

In a way, Fallingwater is one of the shining gems in the world of architecture. Due to its positioning on top of a waterfall some may see it as rather flashy or extravagant, but walking through the property leaves different traces in my mind. It’s obvious to see that Wright’s passion for Japanese architecture played a big part in the design of Fallingwater, especially the integration of exterior and interior spaces. I’m yet to come across another property that’s been able to integrate man and nature in such a way, I was quite stunned.

Walking around the property I noted the bright open feel in the rooms and the linkage between all the different spaces. Where the glass meets the stone was also impressive, as no frame was used to connect them meaning minimal interruption between the outside and in. Overall a fantastic property that is well worth visiting, you won’t be disappointed. Here are a few photos of the exterior, unfortunately no photography was allowed inside, hence all the pictures being of the exterior and the details around the site. Saying that, if it’s possible one day this is a place that needs to be seen with your own eyes. I’m sure it will inspire you and make you think about your own work in a completely different way. Enjoy.

fallingwater.org