Last Monday was maybe the last 70 degree day here in the region so I made the most of it. Took a ride down to Frank Lloyd Wrights falling waters. Strange thing it's in the same region I pass through on the way to DC in the Laurel highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania. Wonderful area with amazing hills and valleys with flowing roads that beg to be explored. Anyhow...the house was designed for the Kaufmann's the of the Kaufmann departement stores...The owner, his wife and Son who was an apprentice of Wright himself. I must confess it's wonderful so see such and example of creativity; of art as shelter. You'd think being wealthy the Kaufmanns would demand a soft plush home, but this was the opposite...not that it wasn't posh, it was, only in a fundamentalist way, void of excesses. To most the house may even seem intrusive. Narrow hallways and stairwells with sandstone protruding from every angle. However, you feel as if every step you take is an opportunity to learn about composition, lighting, theme, harmony, etc. The shear wonder of the place lies in the details. I can imagine how intoxicating it was to design and build. I'm sure problems and ideas were created as each was solved. You are met with recurring themes and accents, from the numerous waterfalls to the trees. The most amazing thing is that this was built 1939, yet so modern, we still haven't caught up to it.
2 comments:
I agree with you on the design looking really modern, especially being built in 1939. It's like classic design, never ages.
Yeah, perhaps it's more individual ideas never age. When you are too influenced by trends it tends to date your work it seems.
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