The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, steward of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece Fallingwater, reported April 12 that the post-tension phase of the Bear Run, Pa., house's terraces has been successfully completed, and visitors once again can tour the residence. Structural engineer Robert Silman Associates, New York City, and architect Wank Adams Slavin LLP, led the extensive team that completed the project.

Although Wright had designed the cantilevered terraces to extend unsupported out over Bear Run, by 1997 engineers had discovered they were in danger of failing and shored them up until a restoration plan could be devised and funded. Last month, workers took out all of the built-in Wright-designed living room furniture and removed the stone floor to reach the structure. Three of the four main beams and a number of the cross joists were flanked on each side with post-tensioned cable. The operation was a success; the building lifted a half-inch (as expected) and no longer rests on the shoring.

The conservancy reports that the extent of damage from flash floods and falling trees, which was visible only when the floor was removed, proved more extensive than originally anticipated. Particularly hard hit was the east terrace, which required replacement of three joists and an extra line of tensioning. Conservators were able to take advantage of the built-in living room furniture being off view, and conserved it before putting it back over the replaced flagstone floor.

Fallingwater, designed by Wright for the Kaufmann family and constructed in 1935, was selected by AIA members as the "Building of the Century" at the Institute's 2000 convention. For more information about Fallingwater—from history to tour information—visit the building's official Web site.

Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.