DESIGN MARVEL
House of the 20th century
A. SRIVATHSAN
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Falling Water remains a favourite example of how design can creatively integrate a site and a building.
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Courtesy of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
Architectural icon: A waterfall inside the house.
One would never imagine that a house can become an architectural icon of a century. Architectural excellence is often associated either with monumentality or structural innovation. A house, many tend to think is not something that can measure up to becoming a wonder. Falling Water or Kauffman’s residence belies all these notions. This modern house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is hailed by many as the house of the 20th century. It was voted as “the best all-ti
me work of American architecture” by the American Institute of Architects in 1991.
Falling Water was built between 1936 and 1939. Kaufmann, Sr., a departmental store Moghul commissioned Wright who was aged 70 then to build this weekend house. While the client expected a design that will look at the waterfall, the architect came with a radical proposition of taking the water fall inside the house.
Unique feature
Not only does one see the water from outside, one gets to hear the flowing water from many parts of the building. This wish of the architect was achieved by building cantilevered balconies which allowed for water to flow beneath. The house appears to float over a waterfall and is perched like a boulder in the landscape. This building still remains a favourite example to show how design can creatively integrate a site and a building.
The building has its own share of problems. The cantilevered balconies developed some cracks and there were leakages. The client dubbed this building as “raising mildew”. The contractor felt that the design had inadequate reinforcement and secretly added more steel without the knowledge of the architect. However, the structure stood for many years and was used till 1963. It was later converted into a museum and extensively renovated recently .
Architects may come and
Architects may go and
Never change your point of
view
When I run dry,
I stop a while and think of you.
When Paul Simon sang these words and eulogised Wright, he was neither exaggerating nor was he alone. Frank Lloyd Wright was the inspiration behind the novel Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.
There is not much disagreement either with Wright’s
status as a celebrated architect
or with the praise showered
on Falling Water.
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