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.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Visiting the Kaufmann House: Nature's Harmony

The script begins with an approach to the Kaufmann House, a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, along a footpath leading to Bear Run. The sound of flowing water is omnipresent, enhancing the experience. The house is ingeniously built on a bedrock outcropping, with cantilevers that mimic the natural landscape. The entrance is modest, but inside, the home opens up to reveal a large fireplace and built-in features. The house is designed to be both an extension of and a shelter from the outdoors. The architecture is noted for its post-free windows and innovative skylight, providing ample headroom. The home's modern feel is evident, with the exception of a vintage stove, and the attention to detail in every aspect of the design, from furniture to fixtures, is impressive. The script also mentions Edgar Kaufmann Jr.'s upstairs living space, which has a distinct bachelor pad vibe with concrete walls and cantilevered spaces.

05:11

🌲 Leaving the Iconic Kaufmann House: A Last Glimpse

As the visit to the Kaufmann House concludes, the script describes the departure down the driveway, passing under a trellis roof and observing the water dripping down the stone hillside. The narrator can't help but take a final look at the house from across Bear Run, admiring its timeless architecture. The wooden path back to the parking area is noted for its well-crafted boards, tightly scribed to the stone hillside, adding to the overall harmony between the house and its natural surroundings.

Keywords

💡Kauffman Celebrated Home

This refers to the iconic architectural masterpiece known as Fallingwater, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Kaufmann family. The home is renowned for its harmonious integration with nature, especially its unique placement over a waterfall. In the video's narrative, it is the central focus, illustrating the theme of architectural brilliance and the seamless blending of structure with the natural landscape.

💡Cantilever

A cantilever in architecture is a structural element that is supported on only one end, allowing it to extend out into space. In the context of the video, the Kaufmann home features cantilevered sections that dramatically hang over the stream and the surrounding land, showcasing Wright's innovative design and the home's connection with the terrain.

💡Natural Integration

The concept of natural integration refers to the design approach where a building is created to coexist with its environment rather than dominate it. The script describes how the Kaufmann home is both part of the outdoors and a protection from it, with its design mimicking the rise and fall of the surrounding land, emphasizing the theme of harmony between architecture and nature.

💡Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright is a seminal figure in the history of architecture, known for his organic architecture philosophy that emphasizes harmony with the environment. The video discusses his design for the Kaufmann home, which exemplifies his principles and showcases his influence on modern architecture.

💡Waterfall

In the script, the waterfall is a key natural feature that the Kaufmann home is built around. The sound and presence of the waterfall envelop the home, contributing to its unique atmosphere and the theme of living in harmony with nature. The home's design allows the Kaufmanns to 'live with the waterfall, not just look at it', highlighting the intimate relationship between the structure and its natural setting.

💡Architectural Details

The script mentions various architectural details, such as the large swinging pot over the fireplace, built-in furniture, and the ingenious skylight, which are indicative of the meticulous design and craftsmanship that went into creating the Kaufmann home. These details are integral to understanding the home's innovative design and its enduring aesthetic appeal.

💡Innovative Design

Innovative design is a central theme in the video, as it highlights the forward-thinking and creative approaches taken by Frank Lloyd Wright in designing the Kaufmann home. The home's features, such as the post-free window corners and the double-acting door, exemplify Wright's commitment to creating a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

💡Waterproofing

The script touches on the practical aspects of maintaining the home, such as waterproofing the concrete walls to protect against moisture damage. Waterproofing is crucial for the longevity of structures like Fallingwater, which are in close proximity to water sources, and it relates to the theme of balancing aesthetics with functionality.

💡Modern Feel

Despite being designed in the 1930s, the Kaufmann home still retains a modern feel, as noted in the script. This is attributed to the timeless design principles employed by Wright, which continue to resonate with contemporary architectural sensibilities. The modern feel is a testament to the enduring relevance of the home's design.

💡Retro Aesthetic

The script mentions a stove in the kitchen that would fit perfectly in any retro home today. This reference to retro aesthetics highlights the timelessness of certain design elements within the home, showing how they can跨越时代, appealing to both the past and the present.

💡Carpentry and Craftsmanship

Carpentry and craftsmanship are evident throughout the home, from the built-in furniture to the scribed shelves and the wooden path. The script points out the quality of the workmanship, which contributes to the home's enduring beauty and functionality. This aspect of the video underscores the importance of skilled craftsmanship in achieving architectural excellence.

Highlights

The Kauffman house is approached via a wide footpath leading to Bear Run, with the sound of flowing water enveloping the visitor.

The house is built on a large bedrock outcropping, cantilevering over the stream and mimicking the surrounding land's natural rise and fall.

Sheets of ice and snow hanging from the home and trees during the visit, creating a stark winter landscape.

The entrance to the house is low and cramped, contrasting with the open interior once inside.

The home integrates with the outdoors while also providing protection from it.

A large swinging pot and built-in furniture are featured in the living room.

A stairway and concrete steps provide access to Bowl Run and swimming pools.

An ingenious skylight design provides headroom and allows the Kaufmans to live with the waterfall.

The horizontal roof lines are emphasized on the porch, with attention to rainwater management and door/window materials.

The house, despite being built in 1935, maintains a modern feel with minimal signs of age.

The kitchen features a double-acting door and retains a modern aesthetic even with a vintage stove.

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright's signature post-free window corners are a notable design feature.

Wright's attention to detail is evident in the design of everything from bed frames to light fixtures.

Edgar Kaufmann Jr.'s upstairs living space features smart design elements like concrete walls and cantilever dens.

Waterproofing has been a concern, with various products applied since the home's completion in 1936.

The guesthouse and garage showcase Wright's innovative cantilever design and resistance to traditional order.

The wooden path's craftsmanship, with each board scribed tight to the stone hillside, is a testament to the build quality.

Transcripts

we approach the kauffman celebrated home

on a wide foot path leading to bear run

as you approach the house sound of

flowing water rises until it envelops

you that sound is everywhere throughout

the home the foundation rests on a large

bed rock outcropping with the house

cantilever and over the stream and in

every other direction - mimicking the

rise and fall of the surrounding land

and the winner ice chokes the stream

sheets of ice and snow hang from the

home and the trees are all bare Tom

Breuer and I have visited the house and

I really summer after doing a road show

at Allegheny millwork in Pittsburgh only

about an hour's drive away the driveway

crosses a wide bridge sweeps the front

door and even they're watered reaching a

foot bath and a bar of soap but here's

the Kaufman's family camped on the

property along the stream but they

didn't want their kids running through

the house with dirty feet like most of

Wright's homes the entrance is low and

cramped but once inside as if the house

is both part of the outdoors and

protection from the outdoors the home

opens up a large swinging pot decorates

the fireplace in the living room other

than an occasional table built-ins are

everywhere in the center of the living

room a stairway leads down to bowl run

or concrete steps and a stoop allowed

the Kaufman's to swim in the pools over

the stairs an ingenious skylight pushes

back providing Headroom that allows the

Kaufman's to as the right put it live

with the waterfall not just look at it

on the porch is outside the extreme

horizontal roof lines are even more

overwhelming as a contractor I couldn't

help taking a close look especially at

the rain water following the Bono's

eaves and staining the underside of the

concrete softens all of the doors and

windows are metal sash making it a real

challenge to install ordinary Hardware

like hold opens and multi-point lock

sets yes multi-point lock sets now's a

good time to remember that right drew

this home in September 1935 but the

house looks like it was built yesterday

except for the stove even the kitchen

has a modern feel and that stove would

fit perfectly in any retro home today a

double-acting door separates the kitchen

in the house I'd like to get my hands on

the guy who put that wooden block down

there to stop the door from hitting the

stone obviously that block split the

wooden plate covering the hardware

nearly all the other doors are swung on

saw singes I figured everyone would want

to know that these post free window

corners are another signature in the

architect who said he wanted to build

without order without posts without

beams I'm not convinced that Wright

thought of everything the scoops in this

desk and others throughout the home made

me wonder about on-site solutions but

the details and a finish would be

impressive for any high-end home built

today and there aren't many details that

right left a chance from bed frames to

light fixtures he designed everything I

think he had a hand on a paper holders

to Edgar Kaufmann jr. lived upstairs

above the main house and a smart

bachelor pad the bulldoze concrete walls

remind me of a story my cousin told me

about an architect who said that stucco

was waterproof well it's not and neither

is concrete unless it's sealed with a

waterproofing material as any

experienced builder might expect since

1936 when the home was completed a host

of different waterproofing paints and

products have been applied with the

concrete finish of falling water

bookshelves lined the sitting area of

Edgar Kaufmann juniors living room

and their cantilever dens punctuate the

horizontal lines of this room - maybe

it's just me but I thought the

Carpenters could have done a better job

on scribing the shelves - the stone

across the driveway and up the hill

right built a guesthouse in garage a

totally cantilever roof covers the path

to the guest house post support the roof

from only one side probably Wright's

greatest statement against order once

again it's difficult to remember that

this home was designed and built in the

1930s it still looks modern today well

you got my point

leaving the home we walked back down the

driveway under the trellis roof and

passed more water dripping down the

stone hillside I couldn't resist one

last look at the house from across bear

run before heading back on the wooden

path to the parking area you probably

noticed too each board on that path is

scribed nice and tight to the stone

hillside