Frank Lloyd Wright
Fallingwater is a house designed in 1935 by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959). The house was designed as a private residence and weekend home for the family of Pittsburgh department store owner, Edgar J. Kaufman, Sr. Fallingwater is one of Wright’s most widely acclaimed works and best exemplifies his philosophy of organic architecture: the harmonious union of art and nature.
Fallingwater is located in the mountains of Southwestern Pennsylvania, also known as the Laurel Highlands, in Mill Run, Pa. in Fayette County, which is about 70 miles east of Pittsburgh. Wright designed Fallingwater to rise above the waterfall over which it is built. Completed with a guest house and service wing in 1939, Fallingwater was constructed of native sandstone and other materials quarried from the property. Fallingwater was built by local craftsman from Fayette County. * Highly Recommend Pre-Trip Ticket Purchase
Today, Fallingwater is open to the public as a museum and is designated as a National Historic Landmark and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Treasure. The house was also named the “best all-time work of American architecture” in a poll of members of the American Institute of Architects. Since its public debut 82 years ago, more than five million visitors have toured and experienced Fallingwater. Travel+Leisure Magazine stated that Fallingwater is "one of the 12 landmarks that will change the way you see the world
Designed on a hexagonal module, Kentuck Knob is a small, one story Usonian house. Usonian, meaning affordable for the average American, was a signature design of Frank Lloyd Wright. Both dramatic and serene, the house, situated just below the crest of the hill, appears almost part of the mountain itself and stands 2,050 feet above sea level.
Kentuck Knob’s construction materials of native sandstone and tidewater red cypress blend naturally with the surroundings. The fully functional kitchen is the architectural core of the home. Its walls of stone not only anchor the two wings of the house but they also rise to penetrate the horizontal line of the copper roof. An open floor plan, cantilevered overhangs, and great expanses of glass effortlessly integrate the inside with the outside. Stretching to the east, just beyond the back terrace, is a breathtaking panorama of the Youghiogheny River Gorge and the beautiful Laurel Highlands mountains that surround it.
Kentuck Knob represents a refinement of the many principles of organic architecture Mr. Wright explored throughout his long career. Today, the interior reflects the taste and personalities of the current owners, Hayat and Peter Palumbo, who are committed to preserve and maintain the house for the enjoyment of all those who, like them, share a deep admiration for Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius.