FALLINGWATER [AN ICONIC HOME]

After the holidays, I went to visit family in Pittsburg and a few of us traveled to Fallingwater the house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania. The three-story residence was built over a waterfall on Bear Run stream, and designed as a weekend retreat for the Kaufmann family, who were the owners of the Kaufmann’s Department Store in Pittsburg. Since 1963 the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy [WPC] have operated Fallingwater as a tourist site and maintains the 5,000 acres surrounding the house.

_{Architects working from the master bedroom porch.}

There are preservation cycles that occur every 20-25 years, and in 2024 Fallingwater began a $7 million dollar renovation project to address the persistent water leaks and structural issues of a home built over a waterfall. Our guide mentioned the house has always leaked, making waterproofing a constant battle. It was interesting seeing the architects work, as water has been a threat to the home’s integrity with its flat roofs and strong horizontal lines for many years. The project will be completed by spring of 2026