On a recent trip West to visit our elder scholar, now spending his time in Oxford, Ohio, we decided to break up the 10 hour drive with a stop at Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's signature work. It is no surprise Smithsonian Magazine listed it as one of the 28 places to see before you die (I'm surprised there are only 28, but glad I checked this off).
I've always felt it was a place I needed to see. I was correct. It lived up to every expectation. Pictures don't do it justice(but I'll share some anyway). The story enhances the visuals to a degree I had not prepared myself. You could visit this several times a year and get a substantially different feel each time.
Wright had something very particular in mind when he built this, and he clearly achieved what he set out to accomplish. It wasn't easy. He exceeded budget, there were disputes, and Wright was not easy to work with all the time. But the owners of the home, the Kaufmans, had bought into his vision, and the results are spectacular.
While their original budget was only $35,000, total costs eventually topped $155,000 (roughly $3mm today). While it would be nearly impossible to build this structure today due to environmental impact issues (this structure has been assessed regularly has having a negligible impact on the environment, which says something about environmental regulations, as well as Wright's ability to deliver on a vision), the costs would clearly be far higher than the inflation-adjusted figure of $3mm. In addition, you'd have to account for the costs of ego, which were significant in this project.
Wright was self-taught in architecture, unlike most of his contemporaries. Edgar Kaufman, Jr. was a disciple and friend of Wright, having studied architecture under him briefly. Kaufman implored his father to meet Wright, and when they did finally meet, the elder Kaufman was won over by Wright's ingratiating behavior and ability to charm. Kaufman asked Wright to visit a rural camp on property he owned at Mill Run, Pennsylvania to see if it was a good location to build. Wright had the area surveyed, and chose a spot on the falls to build, contrary to Kaufman, Sr.'s choice of a house below the falls, with a view.
Wright's decision would prove lucrative for himself, the Kaufmans, and architecture in general. Kaufman saw promise in Wright's vision. Foregoing a traditional foundation, Wright integrated the house into the landscape and using the large rocks as a base, while creating cantilevered floors to provide the space the Kaufman's requested, which provided an openness that was inviting. The structure became part of the landscape.
Wright was ahead of his time. Many products which he could have utilized to make the job easier or better did not yet exist. Those tools which did come along afterward have been used to update and improve the structure, such as post-tensioning and the use of new natural paints that are waterproof. Left to its own devices, with the materials he had at the time, the building likely would have collapsed by now. Even so, without modern intervention, it lasted far longer than most expected, a testament to his ingeniousness (and some subterfuge between one of his assistants and an engineer to provide additional steel support, which almost caused Wright to leave the project).
Fallingwater is located in a region rich with Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Only seven miles away is Kentuck Knob, a project for a local large dairy family, utilizing Wright's "Usonian" style. Fifteen miles away is the Duncan home, a Wright prefab construction moved from Illinois. There are very few examples of this type of home, originally meant to be designed for mass production.
Each home is managed by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, a not-for-profit private organization. While I purchased tickets only for a Fallingwater tour, I learned during the tour that for the same amount of money I could join the Conservancy and receive tours at all three locations, a substantial value.
My tour guide spent a small amount of time hinting that the Kaufmans were supporters of the New Deal, and most likely Socialists, it's hard to understand how this adds value to the tour even if it is true. The Kaufmans were capitalists, running a department store in Pittsburgh, and they were active in Democratic Party initiatives. Were their political views to win out in the long run, great examples of this type of architecture would be very unlikely to ever be created (indeed are already becoming rare because of the impact of too much regulation). It's also worth noting that critics of Free Markets and capitalism are loathe to admit that wealthy patrons, such as the Kaufmans, provide society with so much value. I am certain my guide would never have agreed with this point. However, Kaufman Jr. donated Fallingwater to the Conservancy because he recognized the value it brought to society. As we left, we donated some money to the Conservancy. As I noted to my father, "they may have been Socialists, but I am not. I am willing to pay to support the things I enjoy, and I should pay for them if I can."
When it was opened to the public in 1963, it was suggested that as many as 25,000 people a year may visit the structure. Today, close to ten times that now visit, allowing the Conservancy to provide regular and necessary upkeep and renovations.
Fallingwater has a visitor center, a very nice museum shop, and an excellent cafe. We ate lunch there, and the offerings were delicious. We were told all the food was local (I don't feel this is a necessity, but it's good to know such good food can be provided by local suppliers at a reasonable cost) and it was delicious.
The area makes an excellent destination for travelers or, as it was in my case, an excellent break on a longer trip. I could've stayed longer, and plan on returning to see the 2 other Frank Lloyd Wright homes in the area.
