New Photos of Fallingwater Reveal Unexpected Views and Perspectives of a Masterwork

New Photos of Fallingwater Reveal Unexpected Views and Perspectives of a Masterwork

Fallingwater emerges through the mist, hovering over Bear Run. This image is one of a multitude of new photographs by Christopher Little in the new book Fallingwater edited by longtime Fallingwater director Lynda Waggoner. All images courtesy of Christopher Little from Fallingwater by Lynda Waggoner, Rizzoli 2011.

The southeast elevation. Multilevel terraces underscore Fallingwater’s geologic connection to the land and topography.

Trellis beams reach across the driveway, connecting the house to the hillside. As with many Wright houses, the entrance is obscured to in order to heighten the sensory progression of entering. The door is actually located in a recessed slit between walls. Masonry walls reference the form of the adjacent rock face on the north side of the house.

Inside, the open floor plan is subtly divided into several distinct areas for music, study, conversation, and dining.

A staircase leads down from the living room to the waters of Bear Run, giving the house another intimate connection to the natural setting around it.

Fallingwater’s fireplace. Steel shelves also act as mullions.

Some parts of the house are physically entwined with the adjacent rock formations, adding a literal spin to Fallingwater’s reputation as a building integrated with nature.

Perched over water and made from the land around it, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater set a new precedent for how rural residential architecture is expected to interact with its site.

Back to AIArchitect September 23, 2011

Go to the current issue of AIArchitect