Falling for Fallingwater...

 
One of the benefits of our nomadic lifestyle is that the journey sometimes becomes the destination. As example, recently, Jer got to check off another bucket list item he'd had since high school by visiting the home known as Fallingwater along the route of our drive from Chicago to Philadelphia.  

Fallingwater, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1935 over a small waterfall tucked in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands (90 minutes southwest of Pittsburg) is one of  the most famous and iconic homes in the world.  The American Institute of Architects' members rated it to be the most architecturally significant building in the U.S., it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is hailed internationally as a masterpiece of 20th century architecture.  Lego even issued a special edition model of Fallingwater which, of course, Jer built and it used to be proudly on display in our home.

During our ever evolving treks across the country, we have come to accept that there is no such thing as "perfect weather" and that whatever the conditions, we would enjoy what was meant to be for us.  In this case, our exploration of Fallingwater came with, well, falling water. A drizzle fell upon the trees and our umbrellas... creating a symphony of pitter-patter noise that accompanied the stream's terraced waterfalls. 

As the son of the original owners of the home so eloquently stated, "Fallingwater is famous because the house in its setting embodies a powerful ideal-that people today can learn to live in harmony with nature. . .As technology uses more and more natural resources, as the world’s population grows even larger, harmony with nature is necessary for the very existence of mankind." - Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. We couldn't agree more... never have we visited a manmade structure that so seamlessly blended into it's surroundings, truly existing in living harmony with nature.  It was one of our more meditative tours to date. 

Wright's artistry in architectural design blended the inside-outside spaces in a magical fashion, even incorporating some of the surrounding stone outcropping into the home. The terraced floors of the home were inspired by the surrounding rock formations that jutted out from the nearby cliffs - Wright was insistent that everything flowed.

The interior spaces were intentionally designed to compress and expand one's perception, with narrow passage ways opening up into large living spaces. And to quote Iconic Homes, "Wright furnished the interior with built-in and freestanding furniture he designed specifically for Fallingwater. For versatility in design and resistance to warping, the furniture was constructed of plywood and veneered with North Carolina black walnut. Seat cushions for sofas, hassocks (ottomans), and zabutons (floor cushions) were filled with Dunlopillo, a vulcanized liquid latex honeycombed with air bubbles to provide durability and ventilation."  

Since 1963 the home has been frozen in time with all the furniture and artifacts left in place... with meticulous detail. If you're interested in nature and architecture - Fallingwater needs to be on your bucket list! And, it's certainly has encouraged us to visit more of Wright's inspired buildings, with a more conscious  intention of being more present with nature as we continue discovering more about ourselves by those who have expressed their inspirations before us!

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."
- Frank Lloyd Wright