Fallingwater opens to visitors for the season

MILL RUN, Pa. (KDKA) -- If you are looking for a notable example of unique American architecture, you need look no further than the house that sits over the stream in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. That house is known as Fallingwater.

"It was the vacation home of the Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh, and it was designed by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright," said Ashley Andrykovitch, the senior director and curator of education at Fallingwater. "He came to this site in 1934. And the house was constructed between 1936 and 1939."

Fallingwater is considered by many to be Wright's greatest work and it perfectly encapsulates his philosophy of organic architecture, or architecture that works with the nature around it. Even when you are inside the house, you can't help but feel that you are outside in the landscape around you.

Building this place was no small feat and as brilliant and renowned as Frank Lloyd Wright was, he did get a little testy with the Kaufmann family when they got a second opinion on the house's construction from local Pittsburgh engineers.

"Once they saw Wright's design for Fallingwater, and the cantilevers that are sticking out over the waterfall, it was such a daring bold design that the Kaufmann family actually consulted with engineers in Pittsburgh who warned them about the design and said that it was dangerous," says Andrykovitch. 

Wright was not happy about this consultation and even threatened to leave the project, but in the end, cooler heads prevailed. Some additional rebar was added to shore up the structure, but largely Wright's original design stayed intact.

The Kaufmann family gave over the house to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in 1963. They wanted the house to not only be preserved as a museum but opened to the public so that everyone could experience this one-of-a-kind place.

Since then, millions have visited this site from around the world and Fallingwater is not only a National Historic Landmark and a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Treasure, but in 2019 Fallingwater was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"I think Fallingwater's legacy is serving as an example of Wright's ideas," says Andrykovitch. "But then also, Frank Lloyd Wright aside, I think it's a place where people come to get inspiration, to be reminded of how important it is to spend time outdoors with nature."

Fallingwater is open daily until December, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Wednesdays. The guided architectural tour starts at $36. Space on tours is limited and they fill up quickly, so folks are encouraged to reserve in advance.