Welcome to brain Stuff production of iHeart Radio, Hey Rain Stuff Lauren vogebam here. Acclaimed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said the architect must be a prophet. If you can't see at least ten years ahead, don't call him an architect. Wright proved his own words when he designed Falling Water, a private residence that's now preserved as a museum and has captivated countless spectators for more than eighty years.
Set in the Laurel Highlands region in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania, Falling Water remains open to visitors today, many decades after Wright's death in n A now classic example of what's called organic architecture, Falling Water is a sweeping, tiered structure designed to be both a part of and
apart from the natural landscape surround again. It incorporates wood and rough edge stone quarried from the property itself, along with bold, blunt lines of concrete and steel, all set atop an active waterfall, a balance of human and natural elements. Here's its story. In Pittsburgh, department store owner Edgar J. Kaufman, Sr. Hired Wright to design a private residence for his family. The house would serve as their weekend home out in the country, roughly seventy five miles or a hundred and
twenty kilometers outside of Pittsburgh. A. Kaufman and his wife Lilianne were impressed by Wright's work after visiting their son at an architectural school that Right designed and ran in Wisconsin. For the article this episode is based on How Stuff Works, spoke via email with Clinton E. Piper, who works as a senior administrator of special Projects at Falling Water. He explained the Kaufman's were innovative retailers with an eye toward
good design. Their son, Edgar Kaufman Jr. Read Frank Lloyd Wright's autobiography and participated in Wright's apprentice program in spring Green, Wisconsin. Since Wright had experienced a lack of work during the Great Depression, which put a halt to many architectural endeavors, landing such a big commission helped put him back on
the map as a top architect. Right completed construction on the main house, a five thousand, three hundred square foot that's five hundred square meter structure by eight and finished building the guest house, which measures some one thousand, seven hundred square feet or one hundred and sixties square meters
the following year. The home remained a private residence of the family until nineteen sixty three, when Edgar Jr. Gave the ded to Falling Water and the surrounding one thousand, five hundred acres but six hundred hectors to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, dedicating the property as the Kaufman Conservation on Bear Run memorial to Edgar J. And Lillian S. Kaufman. Falling Water first opened its stores for public tours in nineteen sixty four. Since then, many entities have recognized the
importance of Falling Waters artistry. In late nineteen seventies, the U S Department of the Interior does neated the museum a National Historic Landmark, and in twenty nineteen UNESCO added Falling Water and seven other Frank Lloyd Right design sites to its list of World Heritage Sites, marking an impressive international recognition of Falling Water's legacy in the world of architecture. It's also the only major Frank Lloyd Right work with
its setting, original furnishings, and artwork still intact. More than four point five million people have visited Falling Water since it opened to the public, among them architectural buffs and curious novices alike. Piper said, Falling Water is a humane experience where rights insight, the Coffin family's way of life, and the natural setting are spread out for all to experience and question, regardless of their background or previous knowledge.
Right popularized the Prairie style of design, which focused on residential houses in the Midwest between nineteen hundred and nineteen sixteen. The Prairie style emphasized neat horizontal lines, which came Rights calling card. You can see these simple lines and sharp right angles in the exterior of Falling Water, and as mentioned before, Falling Water particularly stands out as exemplary of organic architecture, which blends man made structures with the natural
world around them. Organic architecture became staple in rights designs. Piper explained much of Right's nearly seventy year architectural career created buildings and houses that connected one way or another to their natural setting. This was especially true of Falling Water, which was surrounded by thousands of acres of wild beauty
in the bar Run Nature Reserve. Right leaned into that natural setting by building walls of Pottsville sandstone quarried again on the property itself to reflect the stone outcroppings found in bear Run. He also challenged the natural surrounding with concrete cantilevers, which he stacked to form bold terraces in multiple directions and offer beautiful vista is of the wilderness.
Piper said the powerful symbolism of architecture seemingly erupting from nature was at the core of Right's philosophy of organic architecture. Right selective materials such as marine grade walnut near plywood for the built in furnishings to address the effects of living with nature. Falling Water's most iconic attribute is, of course, it's waterfall, and hence the name falling Water, which gently
tumbles beneath the home. Piper said, the sound of the falls is the backdrop that ties the entire experience together. But designing such an architectural masterpiece made Falling Water a pricey endeavor for Right and the Kaufman's. According to Piper, the Kaufman's set an initial budget between twenty thousand and thirty thousand dollars for the construction of the house, but
Right well well exceeded that initial budget. Falling Water wound up costing a hundred and fifty five thousand dollars, including an eight thousand dollar commission fee for right and four thousand four built in front chair. That's a bit over three million in today's dollars, but of course, as a great work of art, in many ways, it's priceless. According to Piper, famous guests ranging from Albert Einstein to FRIEDA. Collo have stayed at Falling Water Since being turned into
a museum. Falling Water no longer accepts overnight guests, but there are still plenty of ways visitors can enjoy the museum. During COVID nineteen, guests may experience the outdoor setting of Falling Water with an advanced reservation and masks and social distancing are required. If you can't swing and in person visit, that's no problem. Visit falling Water dot org to try one of their at home experiences, such as one of the virtual tours conducted via live stream weekly, each one
offering information about a different aspect of the home. Today's episode is based on the article Falling Water. It's considered Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece. Here's Why. On how Stuff Works dot Com by Terry your Logata. Brain Stuff is production of I heart Radio in partnership with how stuffworks dot Com and was produced by Tyler Clang. Four more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.