FallingWater

Summary

The script offers a detailed tour of the Kaufmann House, also known as Fallingwater, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Nestled over Bear Run, the house features a cantilevered design that harmonizes with the natural landscape. The home's innovative architecture includes a low, cramped entrance that opens into a spacious living area, built-in furniture, and a stairway leading to the stream below. Notable design elements include post-free windows, a skylight for headroom, and a double-acting door. Despite being built in the 1930s, the house retains a modern feel, with the exception of a vintage stove. The script also touches on the challenges of construction, such as waterproofing and installing hardware on metal sash windows. The visit concludes with a look at the guesthouse and garage, emphasizing the home's enduring modernity and the meticulous craftsmanship evident in every detail.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The Kaufmann House is designed to harmonize with its natural surroundings, with the sound of flowing water being a prominent feature throughout the home.
• 🏞️ The house is built on a large bedrock outcropping and cantilevers over the stream, mimicking the rise and fall of the landscape.
• 🌨 The home features ice and snow-covered sheets hanging from it, and the trees around are bare, suggesting a winter or cold climate setting.
• 🚗 The house is located an hour's drive away from Pittsburgh, with a wide bridge and sweeping driveway leading to the entrance.
• 🚪 The entrance to the house is low and cramped, contrasting with the open interior once inside.
• 🔨 The interior design includes built-ins and a large swinging pot above the fireplace, showcasing Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural style.
• 🌳 A stairway and concrete steps lead down to Bowl Run, allowing the Kaufmans to swim in the pools, indicating the house's integration with nature.
• 🛠️ The house features an ingenious skylight that provides headroom and allows the family to live with the waterfall, not just look at it.
• 🛡️ The horizontal roof lines and the eaves are detailed with rainwater runoff and staining, showing the house's interaction with the elements.
• 🔩 The house has metal sash windows and doors, which presented a challenge for installing ordinary hardware like hold opens and multi-point lock sets.
• 🏠 Despite being built in 1935, the house maintains a modern feel, with the exception of the stove, which fits a retro style.
• 🛋️ The house includes a double-acting door separating the kitchen and other areas, with attention to detail in the wooden block used to prevent door damage.
• 🏢 The architect designed nearly every detail of the house, from bed frames to light fixtures, showing a comprehensive design approach.
• 🧱 The guesthouse and garage feature a cantilever roof, continuing the theme of structural innovation against the use of posts.
• 📚 Bookshelves line the sitting area of Edgar Kaufmann Jr.'s living room, with cantilever dens adding to the horizontal aesthetic.
• 🛤️ The wooden path leading to the parking area is meticulously constructed, with each board scribed tightly to the stone hillside, reflecting the care in craftsmanship.

Q & A

What is the main feature of the Kauffman house mentioned in the script?

The main feature of the Kauffman house is its foundation, which rests on a large bedrock outcropping, with the house cantilevered over the stream.

How does the sound of flowing water contribute to the experience of visiting the Kauffman house?

The sound of flowing water rises as you approach the house and envelops you, being present throughout the home, enhancing the natural and serene environment.

What season is described in the script and how does it affect the appearance of the Kauffman house and its surroundings?

The script describes winter, with ice choking the stream, sheets of ice and snow hanging from the home, and bare trees surrounding the area.

What unique architectural element allows the Kauffman family to interact closely with the waterfall?

An ingenious skylight above the stairs provides headroom and allows the Kauffman family to live with the waterfall, not just look at it.

What challenge did the contractor notice regarding the doors and windows of the Kauffman house?

The contractor noticed that all the doors and windows are metal sash, making it a real challenge to install ordinary hardware like hold opens and multi-point lock sets.

How does the script describe the kitchen of the Kauffman house?

The script describes the kitchen as having a modern feel, except for the stove, which would fit perfectly in any retro home today.

What construction detail did the contractor critique regarding the wooden block in the kitchen?

The contractor criticized the wooden block used to stop the double-acting door from hitting the stone, noting that it split the wooden plate covering the hardware.

What is unique about the bookshelves in Edgar Kaufmann Jr.'s living room?

The bookshelves in Edgar Kaufmann Jr.'s living room are lined along the sitting area, with cantilevered ends that punctuate the horizontal lines of the room.

What did the contractor note about the guesthouse and garage built by Wright?

The contractor noted that the guesthouse and garage have a totally cantilevered roof covering the path, supported by posts on only one side, reflecting Wright's statement against traditional order.

How does the script conclude the visit to the Kauffman house?

The script concludes with a walk back down the driveway under the trellis roof, passing more water dripping down the stone hillside, and a final look at the house from across Bear Run before heading to the parking area.