Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright

Ryan in our office recently took a tour of one of the most famous homes designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright called Fallingwater, located in rural southwestern Pensylvania.  The home was designed by Wright in 1935 for the Edgar Kaufmann family, president of Kaufmann's Department Store in Pittsburgh.  This unique home is on the Smithsonian's Life List of "28 Places to visit before you die," it was designated as a National Landmark in 1966, and in 1991, members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) named it the "best all-time work of American architecture."

The most recognizable vantage point of this famous residence

Cantilever Balcony and staircase going down to the water below the home.

One of the most unique aspects of this home is the fact that it was actually built into the rock surrounding it, on top of an active waterfall

A modern marvel at the time, a cantilever staircase

Unique interiors with furnishings designed by Wright as well.  The floor is made up of the rock the home is built upon and to the left of the fireplace is a globe that can be filled with water and swiveled in front of the open fire to heat.  There is a spigot at the bottom to distribute the hot water.  

This glassed-in area is retractable to reveal the cantilever stairs to the stream below.

Interesting angles everywhere you look.

Notice the built-in desk has a special notch to allow the glass door to the left to swing open, hearing the natural sounds of the moving water below.

These windows were another engineering marvel of the time with both sides of the corner opening out and the screens opening in, leaving the corner with no structure obstructing the view.

Guest house with unique staircase.

Every view displays another dimension of the design of this masterpiece.

Covered staircase connecting the main home to the guest and servant quarters.

The home was constructed using upside down T-shaped beams integrated into concrete slab.  Some sources say that the contractor was doubtful that there was enough reinforcement and quietly doubled the reinforcing steel specified by Wright.

Stay tuned next month for our "little inspiration" series focusing on Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the greatest American architects of all time.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallingwater