Falling Water was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934. It is located near a waterfall in rural Pennsylvania. The house is built directly over the waterfall, with cantilevered terraces extending over the river. It seamlessly integrates the natural setting by anchoring to the bedrock and using local stone, with modern concrete terraces hovering above. The house avoids an enclosed feeling by providing open plans and visual connections to the surrounding environment.

1. FALLING WATER
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
submitted by
Amrutha.c
This project is a unique example of a modern organic architecture, which was
designed by Architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934 in rural Pennsylvania, 80
kilometers southeast of Pittsburgh. Falling water opened a new chapter in
Architecture, and is perhaps rightly considered Wright's greatest work, for he was
first and foremost an architect of houses.

2. In its careful yet startling integration of
stone walls anchored to the bedrock and
modern reinforced concrete terraces
hovering in space. Fallingwater may be
understood as 'one of the great critiques
of the modern movement in architecture,
and simultaneously one of its
masterpieces
Set in a very unusual location, the ideas
implicit in the house are a highly dramatic
and original combination of modern
technology within a natural setting.

3. ABOUT THE HOUSE
(relating with the plan)
It is a weekend house. It consists of two levels of living areas. Both the
living areas extend up to the waterfall and give a good view of the
surrounding countryside. The entrance drive leads to the main living room,
which extends in different directions in the ground floor. A staircase leads
directly leads to the waterfall. Terraces, balconies, kitchen and dining area
all extend in different directions. The bedroom on the second floor opens on
to the terrace, which is cantilevered more than the terrace of the first floor.
The second floor is much smaller than the first and has only one bedroom
with an adjoining roof terrace. All the three floor plans form a pattern in
such a way that they are arranged round the single vertical element, which
is the natural stone tower-the staircase. At the foot of the staircase is the
supported ground floor and the slope of the hill. The base of the building is
made of natural stone, the individual storeys are made up of reinforced
concrete, and the walls of glass.

4. GROUND FLOOR PLAN

5. FIRST FLOOR PLAN

6. SECOND FLOOR PLAN

7. A.LIVING ROOM
B.TERRACE
C.KITCHEN
D.STAFF ROOM
E.STAIRS BASEMENT
F.STAIRS
G.DRESSING ROOM
H.BATH ROOM
I.CORRIDOR
J.BED AREA
K.STUDY ROOM
First floor
Ground floor
Second floor
BUBBLE DIAGRAM

8. AESTHETICS
It is an architecture that seizes our imagination, letting
us see space and habitation in ways that seem new, but
which we simultaneously feel to be ancient, somehow
fundamental to our human nature.
The notion of a house sitting over a waterfall evokes the
imagination of English Romantic poet, Wordsworth. At
the same time, scientific technology has been
integrated with a modern concept. The cantilevered
house which sits on a waterfall that is audible rather
than visible
Forever
Anticipating
Longing
Loving
Intertwining
Nature
Gathering the
Wonderful
Artistic
Talents of
Everyone in
Residence

9. ELIMINATE THE SENSE
OF BEING LOCKED UP
IN A ROOM OR SPACE
CREATES A
COMPOSITION OUT
OF PLANES AND
SCREENS
UNIQUE
FEATURES

10. HORIZONTAL PLANES CONNECT THE ROCKY HILLSIDE
WITH THE RIVER
LIFT THE STRUCTURE OUT OF THE RIVERBED BY THE
USE OF CONCRETE SLABS TO CREATE A VIEW OVER
THE RIVER
ESTABLISH A
VISUAL CONNECTION
WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT
ANCHORING
THE BUILDING
IN ITS
SURROUNDINGS

11. LET OPENINGS ARISE OUT OF THE COMPOSITION OF
PLANES AND SCREENS
LET OPENINGS FORM ON A
NATURAL WAY
USE COMBINATIONS OF MATERIALS AND ORNAMENTS
FROM THE SURROUNDINGS
RESPECT THE
IDENTITY OF THE
SITE

12. THE SUNLIGHT REACHES THE BUILDING MAINLY FROM
ABOVE
THE BUILDING BECOMES AN OPTICAL PART OF THE
WATERFALL
INCORPORATE
CLIMATE CONTROL
AND FURNITURE IN
THE ARCHITECTURE
CREATE A BUILDING
THAT IS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH
THE SENSE OF THE PLACE

13. PERCEPTION
•It connects the people and nature, and avoids an imprisoned feeling.
•By providing a visual connection with the environment, both people and
nature are brought together in harmony with each other.
•The location serves as an element that serves as a basis for the design. This is
the sense of the place. In the case of Falling Waters these are the falls, the river
bed, the rocks and the trees.
•People can experience two elements in the design: inside and outside. In
Falling Waters, it is the view and ‘smell’ of the waterfall. It’s movement and
sound. Inside the building, the rocks and the material usage ensures harmony.

14. SYMBOLISM
Falling water is an existing living example of a building in harmony with
nature, people and architecture
What Frank Lloyd Wright achieved in this building was to place its
occupants in a close relationship to the surrounding beauty, the trees, the
foliage and the wild flowers.

15. REFERENCES
• Frank Lloyd Wright
• Frank Lloyd Wright 2nd updated edition
• http://www.fallingwater.org/assets/23_PoetryBuilding_with_Words.pdf
• http://www.architecture-student.com/architecture/frank-lloyd-wright-
fallingwater-organic-architecture
• http://www.fallingwater.org/106/live-view
• http://www.wright-house.com/frank-lloyd-wright/fallingwater.html