Falling Water

"Falling Water-
A Frank Lloyd Wright Legacy

The Buffalo Area is fortunate in deed to claim possession of two superbly designed residences of note,The Darwin Martin House and "Greycliff. Both are fine examples of the genius of America's premier Architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The angular plains and prarie style lines stand out visually as distinctive and attractive representations of Wright's genius. I was fortunate to recently visit perhaps the premier example of Wright's vision in another residence of note,Wright's masterpiece of "Falling Water in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.

In Architectural circles, Falling Water is a mecca to which tens of thousands of the faithful trek every year. Sequestered as it is in the Laurel Mountains of Pennsylvania, just Southeast of Pittsburgh, it is a sylvan retreat, far from the hustle and bustle of the modern day. It is a trip backwards to a simpler and more elegant time, where leisure and serenity were much valued as a respite from the seething tumult of the business and social world. The Kaufman family, Pittsburgh's Department Store Owners, commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright( 1936-1937) to build them a Summer home in the Laurel Hills alongside of a small creek and water fall.

Wright took the unusual step of building the home astride the small falls, instead of facing them, as the Kaufman's had wanted. As you first approach the home, the overall impression is that of a multi-storied, adobe structure built astride a stream and nestled into the surrounding hillside. It is a series of flat terraces,cantilevered over the Falls. The various rooms, shaded by the overhanging and angular roof line, are opened up by large areas of window space, that allow sunlight to illuminate the multi level flagstone floor and shale walled interior. The fireplaces are built around native rock outcroppings and are consistent with Wright's concept of "growing the home from living rock.The staircase, in the living room, descends to the water,marrying the structure to the rock and water below.

"Falling Water is on the one hand light and airy, yet curiously compacted like a vessel at sea making use of all available space. The bedrooms are each equipped with wonderful black walnut wardrobes and woodwork.The desks and chairs are of Wright's famous linear design. Each bedroom is equipped with a bath, done in cork and tile, again reminiscent (to me) of a nautical stateroom. Lacquered, Oriental screens pop up occasionally and blend successfully with the home's decor.

The hallways, stone stairways, flagstone terraces and living spaces all flow in a delightful labyrinthian fashion that gives privacy and individual space to the compact home.The several terraces are spacious and look out over the drop of the Falls, to the bottom of the ravine, and across to the surrounding forest.The ambiance is bucolic and restful as Wright meant it to be.

On the hillside above the home,constructed in the same style, is a guest quarters connected to the structure by a covered and winding stairway.A small spring-fed pool nearby adds to the tranquility of the whole. The complex,in its entirety, is meant to blend into the surrounding forest. It achieves this rather nicely.The visit left us thoughtful and reflective of both the architectural beauty of "Falling Water and the quiet and serenity of the forest and hills around the home. Frank Lloyd Wright has built here a state of mind much worth experiencing.

Volunteers from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy conduct narrated, 45 minute tours for groups of 15, through the residence.The tours leave from the attractive, forest-like visitor's center.Reservations are advised during the busy Summer and weekend periods. Some 100,000 visitor tour this architectural mecca every year. Passes to walk the grounds of the estate and view the outside of Falling Water are also available. The pleasant visitors center has restrooms, a cafeteria and a giftshop, nestled unobtrusively in a shaded redoubt near Falling Water.

To Find Falling Water, take Interstate-90 West to the Pennsylvania Turnpike(U.S.#79 South.)Follow Rte.#79 South and exit at Rte. #76 South& East,near Pittsburgh. Travel Southeast on Rte.#76 to Rte.#119 South. Then,follow Rte.#119 South to Rte.#711 East & South.Finally, take a right turn onto Rte.#381 South. "Falling Water Lies several miles ahead, along Rte.#381, in Mill Run. Admission is $12 for adults and resevervations are suggested. Passes to view the grounds are $5 each. For more information, write "Falling Water at P.O.Box "R Mill Run, Pa., 15464. Call 724-329-8501 for reservations.

Joseph Xavier Martin