The document summarizes key features of Usonian homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1930s-1950s following the stock market crash. The homes were designed to be affordable for the average American. Some common elements included using a modular design, cantilevered roofs with deep eaves, open floor plans connecting kitchen/dining/living areas, connection to the outdoors through landscaping, and efficient designs and materials to reduce costs. Over 50 homes were built based on these principles pioneered in Wright's first Usonian design, the Jacobs House built in 1936.

7. With the stock-market crash of 1929, Frank Lloyd Wright turned his interest to low cost housing for the
masses. He called these houses, Usonian, being of the USA. The first of these was the Jacob’s house
(1936).
The entire project cost $5,500, this included Wrights fee of $450. In the next 30 years over 50 houses
were built, and a hundred more designed, on the precepts of the Jacob’s home. These homes were
innovated and ahead of their time, as Wright created homes to fulfill the needs of a changing American
society. Following the demands of Organic Architecture, each of the houses were individual and unique.
However, they did have common elements that united them.
*Designed on a Module system - Originally a 2’ x 4’ grid and a vertical grid of 1’-1”. these were the size of
1/2 sheet plywood, and the diIMENSIOs of the slat and battens that made up the wall. Later other modules
would be used based on the site and the materials used.

9. * Deep Eaves - Cantilevered roofs that overhung and sheltered the walls, shading the
house and Clearstory windows from the afternoon sun
*Open Plan - Pioneered the connecting of the kitchen, dining room, and Living room.
This Reflected the need for the Lady of the house to be connected to the activity of the
house, not hidden away.
* Connection to Nature - Shielded house from Public, but opened up the private side to
the gardens and Light, blending indoors and outdoors, continuing the design of the
house to the exterior.
* Efficient design of Bedrooms and Bathrooms - Bedrooms were modest in size, but
contained spacious closets. Bathroom plumbing was stacked and located adjacent to
kitchen to economize on material cost.
* Passive Heating - Use of concrete floors as thermal mass and large windows help
regulate heating and cooling. In-bedded Plumbing pipes under foundations to provide
radiant heating.
* Economical Materials - Used materials that were inexpensive. Early models with
concrete, brick, and plywood, later with local stones and CMU blocks. Avoided
ornamentation, instead let the natural properties of the materials provide the details of
the house

20. Falling water is constructed on three levels
primarily of reinforced concrete, native
sandstone and glass.
Soaring cantilevered balconies are anchored in
solid rock.
Walls of glass form the south exposure, and a
vertical shaft of mitered glass merges with
stone and steel to overlook the stream
Walls not made of glass are built of locally
quarried stone, and the massive, central
fireplace is composed of boulders removed
from the site to make way for construction but
restored to form the hearth, the traditional
heart of a home
Falling water is a man-made dwelling
suspended above a waterfall.
It offers an imaginative solution to a perennial
American problem: how to enjoy a civilized life
without intruding upon the natural world

25. All the stone at Fallingwater was quarried
about 500 feet west of the waterfalls. Workers
put up the stone in a rough, shifting manner so
it would look like rock coming right from the
ground
There are only 4 materials used in falling
waters ……stone
steel
rcc
glass