Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house: a

design icon?

An investigation of the extent to which a

selected building may be called iconic.

Fig. 1

Percy Wong
Word Count: 3446
2011

Hiram Bingham School

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Abstract

Is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house: a design icon? This was the
question I asked myself when I first discovered such a unique structure which
balances itself with its surroundings as a single composition that suggests unity.
Although at that time, I lacked the proper terminology to base this initial
view on; after finishing this investigation, it can be summarised that the term
‘unity’ emphazises the most important characteristic of the Fallingwater design.
After this reaseach I conclude that this house is famous because it
‘represents’ important aspects of both Wright’s work and ideology. Finally, this
house had something never seen before: the unique and creative idea of
placing the house over a waterfall.
My investigation included books, images from the house, direct quotes
from Frank Lloyd Wright, an interview from the Peruvian architect and teacher,
Fernando Mosquera and finally, various visual analysis of the house while
relating them with the principles of composition and aesthetics.
In order to find an adequate answer for my research question I based the
beginning of my research on “Architecture and Identity”, by Peter Herrle and
Erik Wegerhoff. This book states what is meant by ‘Iconic’ and how it can be
defined with two characteristics: the fame of the house and the
Aesthetic/Symbolic judgment. Yet I believed, that ‘legacy ‘is an aditional
characteristic to be taken into consideration. This is why the name of the
Fallingwater house, prevails over time.
By analysing these characteristics, I found out that the house fulfills each
of this requirements adequately, therefore giving the Fallingwater house, the
status of Iconic.

Word Count: 261

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Table of Content

i Cover Page

ii Abstract

iii Table of Content

1 Introduction

3 The Root of an Idea

6 Designing an Icon

13 A Transcendental Legacy of Uniqueness

18 Conclusion

20 Bibliography & References

22 Annex

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Introduction

“It has served well as a house, yet has always been more than that, a
work of art beyond any ordinary measure of excellence. Itself an ever-
flowing source of exhilaration, it is set on the waterfall of Bear Run,
spouting nature’s endless energy and grace. House and site together
form the very image of man’s desire to be at one with nature, equal and
wedded to nature.”
- Edgar Kaufmann, jr.1

The idea to follow Architecture as a possible career, was the reason why
I wanted to base this research. I wanted to be able to analyse important building
in greater depth.
When I first discovered the Fallingwater House, located at south western
Pennsylvania over the Bear Run stream in the U.S.A and constructed by the
Legendary Frank Lloyd Wright between 1936–1938, I instantly related it with the
idea of ‘unity’ and was captivated by its essence.
“Unity” was the word that made that house a design icon in my opinion.
This is what finally inspired me to write this investigation.
The concept of unity is considered as one of the formal elements of
architectural design which conceived the conjunction between a man-made
structure and nature in perfect harmony.2

The project was originally commissioned by the Kaufmann Family in

1935 to be their vacation residence. In 1963, the family would donate the house
to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to be avaiable to the public.3
The concept of Modern Architecture is defined as the style of the 20th
century, such style can’t be defined through an exact definition because of how
                                                                                                               
1
Edgar Kaufmann, Jr.
http://www.fallingwater.org/assets/Quotes_About_Fallingwater.pdf
2
Fallingwater house Visual Analysis http://flw06.tripod.com/id8.html
3
Fallingwater house, Use of the house, Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallingwater

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wide this term is, yet characteristics that essentially define ‘Modernism’ are
known as a style that implies strongly the use of aesthetics and functionalism
ideals into a single product that rejects historical precepts and styles.4
What makes the Fallingwater House a design icon? To answer this
question, we have to find positive answers to three main questions: Is it
influential to the future of design? Is it Famous or recognizable in general and
what makes it so? And ultimately, does the design represent its designer?
This essay plans to answer these questions and prove my hypothesis,
which is that the Fallingwater house is a contemporary design icon.
Finally in order to find an adequate answer to my research question, I
plan to explain three important architectural points: the fusion with the
environment, the design aesthetics and functionalism, and how all of these,
synergized together, creates harmony.

                                                                                                               
4
U.S. General Services Administration. 2003., p. 12
http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/pbs/GEMbook.pdf (Retrieved August 4, 2011)

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The root of an idea

Architectural styles such as the Baroque, Art Nouveau, Expressionist

architecture and especially Art Deco among others, were involved in the pre-
modernism period of architecture as they can be considered to be the roots into
what formed the wide term of Modern architecture. This style gained popularity
after World War II and lasted for three decades5 to finally be absorbed into
contemporary post-modernism.
The Fallingwater’s aesthetics and function are a clear example of how
different it was to pre-modernism structures which lacked the idea of a fusion
between man and nature. These pre-Modernist movements were clearly
exponents of how the perceptions of design were heavily involved by the use of
‘ornaments’ included in the interior, exterior (or generally both) displayed over
their design. These details where almost unavailable in modern designs.6
Innovators such as Louis Sullivan, Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer,
Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, I. M. Pei, and Frank Lloyd Wright among others;
are architects who notably developed what we called nowadays Modernism in
architecture.
Modernism structures are generally related to a number of designs
constructed in the twentieth century which resemble the ideals of functionalism
and aesthetics while indulging minimalistic principles through clean and straight
lines and most important, it banned the use of ornaments extensively used in
the pre modernism styles of the past.7
In the other hand, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house was not only
imbued by modernism characteristics, but also through his clear appreciation for
Japanese traditional houses which were always designed in a way that created

                                                                                                               
5
Arch. Edward B. Lledo, 18th -20th Century Architecture, Modernism
http://www.scribd.com/doc/32769241/18th-20th-Century-Architecture
6
Jackie Craven, Modernism
http://architecture.about.com/od/20thcenturytrends/ig/Modern-
Architecture/Modernism.htm
7
page 12 U.S. General Services Administration. 2003. Retrieved august 4
http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/pbs/GEMbook.pdf

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a balance with its surroundings.89 This influence led him to create the concept
of ‘Organic Architecture’. Just like in Japanese architecture, this was a concept
used to describe a synergism between nature and man-made structures.
Organic architecture is present in almost all the work he produced and the
Fallingwater house is considered to be a major exponent of this philosophy.
The idea of Organic architecture originated based on a famous phrase by
Arquitect Louis Sullivan which is considered to be the slogan of Modernism:
“Forms follow function”.
F.L. Wright disagreed by changing it, to "Form and Function are one,"
claiming that Nature is the ultimate model.10 He planned the Fallingwater house
to be a part of its surrounding nature, and not to share it.

Frank Lloyd Wright told the Kaufmann family:

“I want you to live with the waterfall, not just to look at it, but for it
to become an integral part of your lives.”
- Frank Lloyd Wright to the Kaufmanns, ca 193511

The quote states Wright’s expectations over the house. It clearly wasn’t just
another vacation house at the outdoors of a city landscape, or in this case, at
the side of the Bear Run.

                                                                                                               
8
Kevin Nute, Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese architecture: A study in
Inspiration
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1316114
9
http://www.archdaily.com/60022/ad-classics-fallingwater-frank-lloyd-wright/
10
Freed Corey, Freed
http://www.organicarchitect.com/organic/
11
Frank Lloyd Wright to the Kaufmann’s
http://www.fallingwater.org/assets/Quotes_About_Fallingwater.pdf

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Fig. 2 - Fallingwater –Not just connected to it. It is a part of it.  

Wright aimed for the location of the house to be over the stream itself.
The Fallingwater house wanted to be the essence of a house that had been
born and grown from the rock over the Bear Run stream. The house is not
connected to it: it is part of it.
Also, the use of natural materials and natural tones, the use of rock and
wood gives a more naturalistic aspect to the entire design. The Fallingwater
house is, because of this, a major exponent of Organic architecture.
For Wright, nature was the root of every design. This must be understood
in order to adapt each design to the surrounding environment of its future
location.

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Designing an Icon

The polish philosopher Dr. Harry S. Broudy explains aesthetics in

architecture by recognizing four groups of elements: the Sensory elements, the
Formal elements, the Technical elements and finally, the Expressive elements.
In architecture, these are required for analysing any building’s characteristics
and especially, their aesthetical value.12 In order to analyze Wright’s house, we
must visit these characteristics.

The lines in the Fallingwater house are attached to the sensory elements
through straight and horizontal lines, founded in the reinforced concrete
balconies. These are repetitive in the design and aligned with vertical columns
of stone. These columns, or cores, rise above the entire house and the tallest
one of these is used as chimney.

The tall vertical columns respond to the trees around them, which rise
above the waterfall. The placement of the vertical columns attached with the
horizontal balconies display a parallel relationship with the surrounding nature
(see Fig. 2). This will finally emphasize our idea of ‘Unity’.1314

Colour produces a major effect on the final message the Fallingwater

house was intended to give. The colours found in the house are natural tones
with brown hues. Red tones are also found mainly at the window frames, these
are similar to the red tones of the surrounding rocks and trees especially during
fall (see Fig 3.). Moreover, the viewer will not find extremely brighter tones
around the structure that could seek to gain the attention of the viewer.

                                                                                                               
12
Architecture & Aesthetics
http://www.architeacher.org/aesthetics/archi-main.html
13
Visual analysis Fallingwater of the Fallingwater house
14
http://www.architeacher.org/aesthetics/archi-aes1.html

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Fig. 3 - Fallingwater house at fall.  

Through the use of comparable-to-nature tones, the house will fuse

perfectly with nature so the viewer will not concentrate on the Fallingwater
house exclusively, but instead view the whole environment as if the house was
part of it.15

                                                                                                               
15
Colour, Visual Analysis of the Fallingwater house

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Fig. 4 - Smooth balconies & rough rocky columns.  

The use of materials found in the site, which where used in the house,
explain an alternative way in which Wright incorporated the structure to it’s
surroundings. The texture and pattern in which he composed the different
materials can be seen on the soft and smooth textures of the balconies
contrasted against the surface of the stone columns, which have rougher
surfaces16 (Fig 4.). Using the same idea of the use of colour, it was Wright’s
symbolic decision to vary the surfaces just like they are varied in the wilderness.

                                                                                                               
16
Texture, Visual Analysis of the Fallingwater house

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Fig. 5 - Natural rough rocks inserted in the fireplace floor.

“(…) He wanted openness without dominance – destroyed the

‘box’ and created new, general interaction between inside and out
– concept of inside changed from that of a refuge to become a
fixed point in space, from which man could experience a new
sense of freedom and participation – this point in space often
where Wright placed great fireplaces with vertical chimneys”17

The statement above refers to the fireplace (Fig 5.) where a particular
detail of design is shown: there is a rock inserted under it. That rock is probably
part of the main rock used as the base of the house. This certainly shows us the
same symbolic contrast we saw at the balconies and in their smooth and rough
                                                                                                               
17
Robin Hawke, Frank Lloyd Wright and Design Elements
http://www.inspiredspaces.com.au/franklloydwright.pdf (10 August)

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textures. However, it is in the interior were we can observe a smooth floor made
of rock created around a natural rough one. This was something not done by
any other architect of the time. It is because of this detail that when one is
inside the house, the individual feels a connection between the exterior
composition of the chaotic wilderness and the interior. As this quote finally
describes, this is in fact a characteristic found in almost all of Frank Lloyd
Wright’s interior designs.

When asked about the Fallingwater’s characteristics regarding to

materials, Peruvian teacher and architect Fernando Mosquera said:

“It is important to study the house because of its historical significance as

it belongs to an era of early modernism in architecture. Its considered an
icon of Modernism in the United State and one of the few examples of
real organic architecture as it “inserts” itself in nature and transforms into
a part of it. That design went against the current of its time. It was an
avant garde project as the materials and the way in which he used them,
make it look as if they were originaly found in the location, and some of
them were. This concept was revolutionary to its time, as the idea of
susteinability (the idea of using only materials natural to the area ) was
not known.”

Furthermore, the idea of harmony in organic architecture involves

ecological responsibilities taken into account by Wright. Space is irregular
because some of the areas, especially underneath the balconies, are
composed of negative space. This negative space decreases the total area
where the house is in contact with the natural soil or rock.

The shape is also proportional to its environment: the Fallingwater’s

tallest part won’t surpass any tree height. This would in addition, blend the
house even further into the background.18
                                                                                                               
18
Space, Visual Analysis of Fallingwater house

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The result is a harmonious balance with the environment since the result
is ultimately, a more ecological house. This happens by not destroying too
much of the natural area in order to fit the house.

Fig. 6 - Side view, Fallingwater house.

Notice the Negative spaces below the balconies.  

Fig. 7 - Fallingwater main floor.

plan

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The Fallingwater house design aesthetics have been conceived through
the principles of composition and by all the reasons mentioned before: the
accentuation between unity and nature as a whole. Technically, because of
these reasons, the interior and exterior of the house should not be organically
balanced and would be too irregular because of the eccentric patterns and
textures. However, it is the environment and its natural and complex
randomness that complements and balances the house. Wright took that as an
advantage, so that balance became present and unified the project. 19

To summarise the house, Unity is finally portrayed and extensively

repeated many times through the combination between Nature and
Architecture: The organic and geometric features of the house, the natural
stone with the concrete, the Exterior with the interior and finally, Nature and
Space.2021 These motifs prove the functionalism embedded in the overall design
of the Fallingwater house.

                                                                                                               
19
Principle of composition, Visual Analysis of Fallingwater house
20
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, Organic Architecture Exemplified
http://www.architecture-student.com/architecture/frank-lloyd-wright-fallingwater-
organic-architecture/
21
Visual Analysis of the Fallingwater house

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A Legacy of Transcendental Uniqueness

What is meant by iconic in architecture is the question we need to

discuss in order to find an adequate support for this investigation. “Architecture
and Identity”, a book written by Peter Herrle and Erik Wegerhoff, state that
‘Iconic’ is to be defined by two characteristics: Through the design being
Famous, and by an Aesthetic or Symbolic criteria.22However, we must consider
that both categories could form an aditional point: its Legacy. This would imply
that the house could become timeless, something that neither its fame nor its
aesthetics/symbolism can sustain alone. At the same time, just like stated in
the aforementioned book, according to the Oxford dictionary, an icon means: “a
person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of
veneration.”23
When asked about the need to teach and learn from this legacy,
Peruvian architect and teacher, Fernando Mosquera stated de following:

“This house influences new generations of architecture students in

various ways and they study it from several points of view: historical,
tecnological and through its design. New generations always try, if
possible, not to see the past architects as inspiration. They think it is
equal to been old-fashioned, not new, or un-contemporary. It is a matter
of maturity and of having a historical point of view. We need to learn from
Lloyd Wright because we need to learn from his experience and
mistakes. Its also a matter of general knowledge and not only about
designing like him.
Sudents need to relate to Lloyd Wright’s poetic, which consists in the use
of materials, the use of light in the house’s interiors and his creative
funcionability solutions.”
If a piece of work is performed properly, in art or architecture, others will

                                                                                                               
22
Herrle, Peter and Wegerhoff, Erik, Architecture and identity Technische
Universität Berlin. Habitat Unit
23
Icon, Oxford Dictionaries

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follow that standard. However the Fallingwater house’s unique standard’s case
is opposed to that. According to Lynda S. Waggoner, Vice President of the
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy when she wrote for the 75th Fallingwater
Celebration: “Fallingwater has no progeny”.24 As a matter of fact, this quote is
certainly true, and features the one motive by which the word unique was given
to Frank Lloyd Wright’s exceptional work. The house’s blueprint is hard to
recreate or copy, because of the unusual terrain it is located on, as well as for
one specific characteristic: the house is above a waterfall. At the same time, the
Fallingwater uniqueness, turned it into the destiny of over four millions visitors
since it opened to the public in 1963. Even TIME magazine, addressed his
work:
“At Bear Run, Pa., Wright has just finished his most beautiful job,
"Fallingwater," a house cantilevered over a waterfall for Edgar Kaufmann
of Pittsburgh.”25

This number of visitors and the remarkable article in TIME magazine

proves nothing else, but how famous the Fallingwater was at that time, how
famous it is now and shall be in the future.

“It is a singular work that appeared almost without warning, its legacy
difficult to define.”
-Lynda Waggoner

Waggoner and other experts have looked back to the house’s origin in
1936 to understand what its legacy will be. They have reached to the
conclusion that F.L. Wright’s work is an example of integration of artifice and
nature and his work will continue to matter. Frank Lloyd Wright’s symbolic
creativeness began a new episode in American Architecture.

When asked about the fame of Fallingwater, Architect Fernando

                                                                                                               
24
Bob Duggan, Why Fallingwater still matters 75 years later
http://bigthink.com/ideas/39404
25
Time Magazine, 1938, Usonian Architect
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,758888-4,00.html

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Mosquera said:
“The house is famous as it answers to a specific time in history. There
were other architectural movements as revolutionary as his, but even so,
F. L. Wright faced the mainstream with his ideas and became an icon.”

Before he started applying this new architectural philosophy, American

architecture’s concept was not based on any ideas of unification between
structures and nature. Houses used to be “imposed” in their surroundings.

Fig. 8 - A typical family House in the 1920’s.

Wright’s Fallingwater project opened a new era in the way houses where
envisioned by American architects and it is probably, his greatest work.
In the book “The Robie House of Frank Lloyd Wright “, the re-known
American art historian, Joseph Connors said that the Fallingwater may be seen
as:
“(…) one of the great critiques of the modern movement in architecture, and

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simultaneously one of its masterpieces.” 26

Fig 9 - Sketch of Fallingwater (Kaufmann House) - Frank Lloyd

Wright, 1936.  
 
Still, we can’t stop thinking that there is more to this house than all the
facts stated in this essay. This is a structure that captures our imagination and
allows us to see space and habitation in a new light. It makes us connect
ourselves to our own human nature.

Frank Lloyd Wright introduced a revolutionary philosophy into the world.

This was a successful attempt because from the moment it was discovered, he
created a road, which many will follow. This new way of seen the world
captivated minds and changed the way we interact with our surroundings.
Wright built a house that can be considered “iconic” because of its
revolutionary characteristics. Even though it is a symbol of the modern
architectural style of that period, it is timeless and has become a classic. The
status of icon is also a result of how risk taker Wright was by presenting such an
avant-garde architectural concept.

                                                                                                               
26
Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece house above the waterfall
http://www.wright-house.com/frank-lloyd-wright/fallingwater.html

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Fig. 10 - Frank Lloyd Wright’s & Fallingwater house –“Famous”.

–Time magazine cover Jan, 1938.
 

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Conclusion

When watching random structures, I often found myself criticizing each

one of them with vague and superficial opinions that could be positive or
negative. After this research, I discovered the definition of what defines an icon
in architecture. It is clear that its definition can be divided into two categories
stated by Peter Herrle and Erik Wegerhoff: the aesthetics/symbolic judgment
and the dimension of its fame. As I mentioned in this essay, both points could
then form an aditional one, that would make the design become timeless.
Aesthetically, we have seen that the house brings several characteristics
that, through analysis, makes it aesthetically beautiful, despite the famous
quote that’s states: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater is a house that not only portrays
modernism characteristics in its design, but additionally a trend Wright
introduced through his interest for Japanese architecture and that coined the
term ‘Organic Architecture’. This primary concept was not to simply ‘place’ an
artificial structure within nature but instead it was achieved by the unification of
both.
In my opinion and through the investigation done throughout this process
we have seen the presence of important principles of composition in the
Fallingwater house, such as the integration of the house to it’s surroundings by
the use of colours and tones, the natural random materials used that emphasize
harmony within its location and finally the connection between the interior and
the exterior as if both were a single space. Finally, the unique yet original
location it had being built on –over a waterfall.
Is because of these reasons mentioned that we can use our own
perception and fundamentally prove how design aesthetics can be considered
beautiful.
However, even if I believe the house is aesthetically beautiful, I am
aware that this is not a decisive criteria to consider when defining whether the
Fallingwater house could be called iconic or not.

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Instead, by considering what it represents, an exponent of a
revolutionary new style and a masterful example of Organic Architecture
achieved by the composition of its design, we can also conclude that the
Fallingwater house is Lloyd Wright’s best work and a famous example of
modern architecture. It has inspired young generations of architects and
buildings and it is still a place of pilgrimage for everyone who is interested in
observing great human achievements, art and beauty.
Is the Fallingwater house a design icon? We can conclude that it follows
all formal characteristics that define great designs, but there is something less
tangible about the house. There is something that captures our imagination.
Maybe one day it will lose its mystery, but for now, I can answer by saying, yes,
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater House, is a design Icon.

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Bibliography & References

Herrie, Peter and Wegerhoff, Erik, Architecture and identity, Technische

Universität Berlin. Habitat Unit. Berlin: Lit Verlag: 2009

Hildebrand, Grant, The Wright Space: Pattern and Meaning in Frank Lloyd
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<http://www.fallingwater.org/assets/Quotes_About_Fallingwater.pdf>
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<http://flw06.tripod.com/id8.html>
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<http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/pbs/GEMbook.pdf>
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<http://www.scribd.com/doc/32769241/18th-20th-Century-Architecture>
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<http://architecture.about.com/od/20thcenturytrends/ig/Modern-
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Inspiration, 1994
<http://www.jstor.org/pss/1316114>
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<http://www.organicarchitect.com/organic/>
(Last retrieved: 18 July)

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<http://www.architeacher.org/aesthetics/archi-main.html>
(Last retrieved: 20 July)

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Adelyn Perez, AD Classics: Fallingwater House / Frank Lloyd Wright
<http://www.archdaily.com/60022/ad-classics-fallingwater-frank-lloyd-
wright/>
(Last retrieved: 10 August)

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<http://www.inspiredspaces.com.au/franklloydwright.pdf>
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Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, Organic Architecture Exemplified

<http://www.architecture-student.com/architecture/frank-lloyd-wright-
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<http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/icon>
(Last retrieved 23 August)

Bob Duggan, Why Fallingwater still matters 75 years later, 2011

<http://bigthink.com/ideas/39404>
(Last retrieved: 24 July)

Time Magazine, “Science: Usonian Architect”, January, 1938, p.4

<http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,758888-4,00.html>
(Last retrieved: 21 August)

Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece house above the waterfall

<http://www.wright-house.com/frank-lloyd-wright/fallingwater.html>
(Last retrieved: 25 August)

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Annex

Fig. 1 Fallingwater, Kauffman house, Art print. 2005

<http://www.buymeposters.com/product/867344/falling-water-kauffman-
house.php>
(Last retrieved: 5 July)

Fig. 2 Fallingwater pictures: fall photo (Kaufmann house above waterfall, Frank
Lloyd Wright, architect). 2009
<http://www.wright-house.com/frank-lloyd-wright/fallingwater-pictures/F1SW-
fallingwater-in-fall.html>
(Last retrieved: 7 July)

Fig. 3 Adelyn Perez, AD Classics: Fallingwater House / Frank Lloyd Wright,

2005
<http://www.archdaily.com/60022/ad-classics-fallingwater-frank-lloyd-wright/>
(Last retrieved: 14 July)

Fig. 4 Fallingwater pictures: photos of Kaufmann house above the waterfall

Frank Lloyd Wright, Architect. 2011
<http://www.wright-house.com/frank-lloyd-wright/fallingwater-pictures/pictures-
of-fallingwater.html>
(Last retrieved: 12 July)

Fig. 5 Fallingwater Interior

<http://www.galenfrysinger.com/fallingwater_interior.htm>
(Last retrieved: 25 July)

Fig. 6 As-Built Drawings for Fallingwater Main House - South Elevation

<http://www.paconserve.org/fallingwater/building/d-mhse.htm>
(Last retrieved: 3 August)

Fig. 7 AD Classics: Fallingwater House / Frank Lloyd Wright

<http://www.archdaily.com/60022/ad-classics-fallingwater-frank-lloyd-
wright/1stfloorplan/>
(Last retrieved: 14 August)

Fig. 8 NS Museum of Cultural History. 1920

<http://museum.gov.ns.ca/imagesns/html/40936.html>
(Last retrieved: 10 August)

Fig. 9 A Conversation on cool, Sketch of Fallingwater (Kauffman House) -

Frank Lloyd Wright, 1936
<http://aconversationoncool.tumblr.com/post/7973561085/sketch-of-
fallingwater-kauffman-house-frank>
(Last retrieved:20 August)

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Fig. 10 Time Magazine, Usonian Architect, 1938
<http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19380117,00.html>
(Last retrieved: 27 August)

Interview with Peruvian Architect and teacher of the Ricardo Palma

University, Architecture Faculty, Fernado Mosquera
29 , July 2011

1) Porqué es signicativo el uso de los materiales en Fallingwater?

Fernando Mosquera: Es importante estudiar la casa Fallingwater por el

significado historico el cual partenece al periodo del modernismo temprano. Al
mismo tiempo, casa es considerada como un icono del Modernismo en los
Estados Unidos y es de los pocos ejemplos reales de la architectura organica
por la forma de como se “inserta” a si misma en la naturaleza transformadolo
de tal manera, que sea parte de ella. Por otro lado, el diseño iba encontra de su
tiempo actual. Fue un projecto avant garde ya que los materiales y de la forma
de como se usaron, parecia como si fueran orginalmente enconteadas en la
ubicacion, y al mismo, algunas de los materiales usadas, realemente fueron
extraidas de su ubicacion.
El concepto fue revolucionario para su epoca, puesto que la idea de la
sostenibilidad (idea de usar materiales de la misma area donde se queria
realizar el projecto) no era conocido

2) Porque la casa es tan famosa?

Fernando Mosquera: La casa es famosa por la forma de como contesta a un

momento específico en historia. Había otros movimientos arquitectónicos tan
revolucionarios como el suyo, pero sin embargo, F.L. Wright hizo frente a la
corriente principal con sus ideas y se volvio un icono basadas en la casa.

3) Qué tan impotante para las nuevas generaciones el aprender sobre el

legado de este arquitecto y su obra?

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Fernando Mosquera: Esta casa influye en nuevas generaciones de
estudiantes de architectura en varias formas: de forma historica, tecnologica y
atravez de diseño. La nuevas generaciones siempre tratan, en lo posible, no
ver a architectos del pasado como inspiraciones. Piensan que es igual al
pasado, que no es nuevo o finalmente, no es contemporaneo. Por otro lado, es
una cuetion de madurez y de tener un punto de vista historico. Debemos
aprender de Frank Lloyd Wright y de sus experiencias y errores because we
need to learn from his experience and mistakes. Tambien es una cuestion de
conocimiento general y no solo de diseñar como el.
Los estudiantes necesitan encontral la poetica de Lloyd Wright, el cual consiste
en el uso de materiales, el uso de la luz en el interior de la estructura y de su
creatividad funcional.

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