He was known to wear a cape, he broke into clients houses to rearrange the furniture, and he claimed that he was the worlds greatest architect- in court under oath!

Yes, this was Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most legendary architects in American history.  And lucky enough his masterpiece is just east of Pittsburgh, of course, I am talking about Fallingwater.  

For those unfamiliar; Fallingwater was designed and built as the weekend home for the Kauffman family in the late 1930’s (yes, as in Kauffmans department store).  His main contact between the two parties was Edgar Kauffman jr.  He was a student at Wrights Taliesin Fellowship in Wisconsin.  In my mind, it went something like this: 

Jr.- “Hey FLW, my parents want a nice new weekend home, you should design it.”

FLW-  “Hey, your parents are loaded and this great depression is killing me, let’s do it.”

In typical Wright fashion, the project was well over budget (quote-$35,000, final cost $150,000+) but as construction emerged from the rock, Edgar Kauffman Sr. knew that this was going to be a special house.  In fact, before the house was completed, a rendering was on the cover of Time Magazine. It was the perfect blend of genius and philanthropy.  

What exactly makes this house so special?  Why do people from all over the world visit Fallingwater?  I would like to think that I have some idea because I was a tour guide there for a few seasons.  Let me make a few suggestions:

First, the obvious.  A stream runs under the house, who else has that?  The house is actually anchored into the boulders and hangs over a waterfall.  That alone is pretty bold.  Those boulders can be seen in the house as well near the fireplace. 

Second, as weekend houses go, they don’t get much better than this.  Big living-room for entertaining, plenty of bedrooms, natural recreation, ample privacy, and it even has 2 swimming pools. 

Third, an art collection some museums cut off their ear for.  No only do you have the sound a waterfall to send you to sleep, but the last thing you see before you switch off that Tiffany Lamp is a Picasso... Sweet dreams!

Forth, the details.  From the height of the house over the falls, to the location of the staircases.  The house is a model of manipulation.  Every aspect of the house exists to lead the inhabitants outside.  For example: A cavelike main entrance pushes you into the living-room in the direction of the terrace, and before you know it, you are standing over the waterfall.  

Fifth, the balancing act.  Yes, this has a double meaning.  From an engineering perspective this was a daring project for the time period, and no, Wright didn’t have an engineering degree.   On the other hand, one might say that an engineer in the 30’s wouldn’t even think of designing something like this.  Beyond that, his ability to mentally visualize his designs was unrivaled.  That kind of mental aptness produced a house that    is both an architectural monument and a preexisting natural feature, much like the waterfall.

These are just a few of my own opinions, and there are thousands, both good and bad.  Share yours!!

If you would like to visit Fallingwater, you can take a guided tour or walk the grounds.  Make reservations because it gets busy!  Be sure to check out Ohiopyle State Park while you are in the area.  It is a great place to have lunch.