Ryan - 2023 - Falling Water

A roll filled exclusively with pictures from our trip to Falling Water near Pittsburgh. You might refer to this as an 'Architectural Photographic Study' if you were feeling particularly pretentious.

Fallingwater is a house designed by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in the Laurel Highlands of southwest Pennsylvania, about 70 miles (1.5 hour drive) southeast of Pittsburgh in the United States. It is built partly over a waterfall on Bear Run river.

The house was designed to serve as a weekend retreat for Liliane and Edgar J. Kaufmann, the owner of Pittsburgh's Kaufmann's Department Store.

The building is listed among Smithsonian's "Life List of 28 Places to See Before You Die" and the American Institute of Architects named Fallingwater the "best all-time work of American architecture".

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Photos

The view from the forest approach. The building appears to be 4 or 5 floors tall from this angle, but actually the 'top 2' floors are a separate guest house set back from the main house.

The natural limestone cantilevers from the rock face. This was a big inspiration for the many cantilevers found around the building.

A view towards the main balcony for the living area. The external spaces of the building almost double the usable floor area.

The cantilever structure over sails the river below.

A small jetty offers access to the river from the living space. When the access doors are open the living room is flooded with the sounds and smells of the river.

Limestone laid horizontally forming the columns of the building.

Didn't quite get the lighting right on this one! However, you can see the views into the forest very clearly.

One of the many interesting objects found around the property. The family were keen collectors of art from all around the world, with each piece being displayed as if curated in a museum.

The strong horizontal geometries of the ceiling, windows, and book cases all echo the natural surrounding landscape.

All furniture was also designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Each piece was intended to encourage the user to 'actively experience' the act of sitting, reading, eating etc.

The main dining table. You can see that the shelving units are all scribed into the stonework so that no supports are required.

The large limestone boulder which sits in front of the hearth is a part of the original cliff upon which the house was built. The boulder was not moved, and the house was built around it.

Large cantilevers are formed with reinforced concrete, a novel technique for domestic buildings at the time.

The deep structure of the roof floats above the delicate glazed elements.

Dynamic roofs and canopies cascade down the sloping site.

A view onto the main balcony of the building.

The glass is joined at the corners with no mullion, and is scribed and sealed directly into the brickwork. Whilst prone to leakage, it is certainly striking to look at!