Luna talks on Frank Lloyd Wright:Fallingwater,USA(1936)

   Do you want to live in a house that is surrounded by the spiritual forrest? Are you fascinated by the beauty of nature? If both of your answers are "Yes", then you will be interested in the architectual work which I am going to introduce. It is the marvellous "Fallingwater".

   Now, let me give you some details about this wonderful building. It is called Fallingwater because it is built over a serene waterfall in the woods of Pennsylvania. Frank Lloyd Wright, who is one of the most innovative architects in America, designed this house as a vacation home for his clients, the Kaufmann family. It is constructed from 1936 to 1939 and is around 5330 square feet. The color palette of Fallingwater is limited. Two colors were mainly used, for instance, a light yellow for the concrete and Wright's favourite Cherokee red for the metal frames.

     He has used cantilever technique to build Fallingwater. It seems like the balconies are floating in mid-air and there is nothing to support it. This is a new idea in architecture in the early 20th century. Moreover, some of the features of Fallingwater are in common with the Bauhaus. For example, we can observe that everything is rectilinear, with geometric blocks based on vertical and horizontal lines, which has stylistic similarities with Cubism and Dutch De Stijl.They both are very simple in terms of design.And they aim to stay away from the overly decorative style of other institutes.

   Let us move deeper into the style of the artwork. The design of Fallingwater is based on the Prairie Style which is promoted prominently by Frank Lloyd Wright. According to this style, architectural works should be integrated with natural landscapes. The main principle is that a house should look as if it has naturally grown from the site. The works of the Prairie Style architects usually emphasize on the harmony between human habitation and the natural world through design, so that the buildings, furnishings, and surroundings will become a unified, interrelated composition.
   Therefore, we can observe that the horizontal terraces and the low ceilings of Fallingwater appears like the structure of the rocks below. The chimneys also resemble the stone pieces in the surrounding woods. Wide glass windows, which make nature a constant visible presence inside the house, further reinforce the association of the building with landscape. And even the light yellowness of the house aims to blend with the environment. To some extent, Fallingwater has fulfilled Wright's pursuit of "organic" architecture. He wanted people to live with the waterfall, to make it part of their everyday life, and not just to look at it now and then.

   

    There is one key quote about Fallingwater which is written by Edgar Kaufmann, junior.

"It has served well as a house, yet has always been more than that, a work of art beyond any ordinary measure of excellence. It is set on the waterfall, spouting natures's endless energy and grace. House and site together form the very image of man's desire to be wedded and embraced with nature."
  
 Why am I so impressed by Fallingwater? Since I was somehow fed up with the air pollution from the rapid development and industrialization of the city, I am delighted to see the peaceful Fallingwater. The spirituality of this house has reminded me that we should once again embrace our nature.

Reference:

   I recommend you to read "The Aesthetics of Architecture" by philosopher Roger Scruton.It is a nice book about how you look at architecture in different aspects.

1. http://www.fallingwater.org/37/what-is-fallingwater
2.Carlson, Aesthetics and the environment : the appreciation of nature, art, and architecture, London, Routledge, 2002
3. Sparshott, Figuring the Ground: Notes on Some Theoretical Problems of the Aesthetics Environment, Journal of Aesthetic Education, 1972
4.www.fallingwater.org/assets/Quotes_About_Fallingwater.pdf


Questions:

1.Philosopher Allen Carlson agreed that certain works of art is highly "site specific",and Fallingwater is one of them. What do you think is "site specific"? Do you agree with what Carlson has said about Fallingwater?


2.Can you think of any examples which also emphasize on the assoication between nature and artworks besides Fallingwater?
 
3.What kind of effects will we have if we construct buildings with the same style as Fallingwater in Hong Kong?