FALLING WATER

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

submitted by
Amrutha.c

This project is a unique example of a modern organic architecture, which was

designed by Architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934 in rural Pennsylvania, 80
kilometers southeast of Pittsburgh. Falling water opened a new chapter in
Architecture, and is perhaps rightly considered Wright's greatest work, for he was
first and foremost an architect of houses.
 In its careful yet startling integration of
stone walls anchored to the bedrock and
modern reinforced concrete terraces
hovering in space. Fallingwater may be
understood as 'one of the great critiques
of the modern movement in architecture,
and simultaneously one of its
masterpieces

Set in a very unusual location, the ideas

implicit in the house are a highly dramatic
and original combination of modern
technology within a natural setting.
ABOUT THE HOUSE
(relating with the plan)

It is a weekend house. It consists of two levels of living areas. Both the

living areas extend up to the waterfall and give a good view of the
surrounding countryside. The entrance drive leads to the main living room,
which extends in different directions in the ground floor. A staircase leads
directly leads to the waterfall. Terraces, balconies, kitchen and dining area
all extend in different directions. The bedroom on the second floor opens on
to the terrace, which is cantilevered more than the terrace of the first floor.
The second floor is much smaller than the first and has only one bedroom
with an adjoining roof terrace. All the three floor plans form a pattern in
such a way that they are arranged round the single vertical element, which
is the natural stone tower-the staircase. At the foot of the staircase is the
supported ground floor and the slope of the hill. The base of the building is
made of natural stone, the individual storeys are made up of reinforced
concrete, and the walls of glass.
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
Second floor

BUBBLE DIAGRAM

A.LIVING ROOM
B.TERRACE
C.KITCHEN
D.STAFF ROOM
E.STAIRS BASEMENT
F.STAIRS
First floor
G.DRESSING ROOM
H.BATH ROOM
I.CORRIDOR
J.BED AREA
K.STUDY ROOM

Ground floor
AESTHETICS
Forever
Anticipating
It is an architecture that seizes our imagination, letting
Longing
Loving us see space and habitation in ways that seem new, but
which we simultaneously feel to be ancient, somehow
Intertwining
fundamental to our human nature.
Nature
The notion of a house sitting over a waterfall evokes the
Gathering the
imagination of English Romantic poet, Wordsworth. At
Wonderful
the same time, scientific technology has been
Artistic
integrated with a modern concept. The cantilevered
Talents of house which sits on a waterfall that is audible rather
Everyone in than visible
Residence
 UNIQUE
FEATURES
ELIMINATE THE SENSE
CREATES A OF BEING LOCKED UP
COMPOSITION OUT IN A ROOM OR SPACE
OF PLANES AND
SCREENS
HORIZONTAL PLANES CONNECT THE ROCKY HILLSIDE
WITH THE RIVER
ANCHORING
THE BUILDING
IN ITS
SURROUNDINGS

LIFT THE STRUCTURE OUT OF THE RIVERBED BY THE

USE OF CONCRETE SLABS TO CREATE A VIEW OVER
THE RIVER
ESTABLISH A
VISUAL CONNECTION
WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT
LET OPENINGS ARISE OUT OF THE COMPOSITION OF
PLANES AND SCREENS
LET OPENINGS FORM ON A
NATURAL WAY

USE COMBINATIONS OF MATERIALS AND ORNAMENTS

FROM THE SURROUNDINGS
RESPECT THE
IDENTITY OF THE
SITE
THE SUNLIGHT REACHES THE BUILDING MAINLY FROM
INCORPORATE
ABOVE CLIMATE CONTROL
AND FURNITURE IN
THE ARCHITECTURE

THE BUILDING BECOMES AN OPTICAL PART OF THE

CREATE A BUILDING
WATERFALL
THAT IS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH
THE SENSE OF THE PLACE
 PERCEPTION

•It connects the people and nature, and avoids an imprisoned feeling.
•By providing a visual connection with the environment, both people and
nature are brought together in harmony with each other.
•The location serves as an element that serves as a basis for the design. This is
the sense of the place. In the case of Falling Waters these are the falls, the river
bed, the rocks and the trees.
•People can experience two elements in the design: inside and outside. In
Falling Waters, it is the view and ‘smell’ of the waterfall. It’s movement and
sound. Inside the building, the rocks and the material usage ensures harmony.
 SYMBOLISM

Falling water is an existing living example of a building in harmony with

nature, people and architecture
What Frank Lloyd Wright achieved in this building was to place its
occupants in a close relationship to the surrounding beauty, the trees, the
foliage and the wild flowers.
REFERENCES
• Frank Lloyd Wright
• Frank Lloyd Wright 2nd updated edition
• http://www.fallingwater.org/assets/23_PoetryBuilding_with_Words.pdf
• http://www.architecture-student.com/architecture/frank-lloyd-wright-
fallingwater-organic-architecture
• http://www.fallingwater.org/106/live-view
• http://www.wright-house.com/frank-lloyd-wright/fallingwater.html