Pfeww! For a second there, I thought I was going to be stuck critiquing a painting for my blog. Which to be honest, I'm not sure I could do it considering that art is not my expertise. I was able to let out a sigh of relief once I saw the picture of Fallingwater on page 21 though. I may not be an expert on architecture either, but at least I have some appreciation for it.
Look at this house! Its absolutely stunning! From the first time I laid eyes on it I fell in love with it. I'm normally not a big fan of houses that are so defined in their edges and have that modern look, but there is something about this house that I absolutely adore...the setting. Wright built a house that looks like it belongs in the city and incorporated it in such a way so that it meshes with nature. It fits perfectly with the wooded area that it resides in. Its in perfect harmony with the natural stone all around it...especially the rock cliff that it seems to be built into in the back of the house. Lastly, the waterfall-house relationship is what makes this place a National Historic Landmark.
Wright said, "To use any material wrongly is to abuse the integrity of the whole design". When designing Waterfall, he truly used everything in the surrounding natural landscape to add to the overall design of something so pristine and rustic, yet so elegant.
This video gives a little background on Fallingwater, and it is very informative. The one thing that absolutely blew me away is that you can't see the falls from anywhere in the house! As the video suggests, Wright did this because he didn't want the view of the falls to become "commonplace". So to be able to view them you must hike a little ways to clearing. Also, he said elsewhere that he wanted the sound of the falls and the woods to intrigue one to paint their own scenery...to use their imagination a little bit and appreciate not only the sights of the landscape but the sounds.
Do you think that this adds or detracts to the appeal of the house?
"Something so pristine and rustic, yet so elegant." I agree, it is a beautiful building.
ReplyDeleteI think Wright's philosophy of sound and experience definitely adds to the house. I have not experienced Fallingwater personally, but I have seen a professor's video of his trip there. The sound of water moves throughout the space with the visitor. When approaching the main doorway, which is on the "back" side of the house -- oh hey, that allows the spectator to be yet more involved with the surrounding nature -- the main waterfall is drained out and a little man-made trickling fountain creates a peaceful, slower atmosphere. Definitely a sign of solitude for a personal vacation house.
But yeah, all in all, Frank's work is well pieced together with nature and doesn't make it "commonplace." Even with its modern edge to it.
Fallingwater definitely shares the truth of Wright's philosophy regarding materials and their usage. The idea that a structure should reflect its environment is an old one, but true nonetheless. If the Fallingwater was pulled out of its woodland setting, the building would have nowhere near the beautiful effect that it presently has.
ReplyDeleteWhat sold me on the house was found at 2:31 into the YouTube clip. Fallingwater's surroundings are absolutely stunning! No wonder why this is consider Frank Lloyd Wright's greatest work.