Fallingwater

Fallingwater, also known as the Kaufmann House, is one of the most famous houses in America, built by Frank Lloyd Wright. Used as the family weekend home from 1937 to 1963, it was then donated by Kaufmann Jr. to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. In 1964, it was opened to the public as a museum. It is listed among Smithsonian's Life List of 28 places "to visit before you die".

Fallingwater

Bear Run, Pennsylvania

The house doesn't appear to stand on solid ground, but instead stretches out over a 30' waterfall. Wright's idea was for the family to live with the waterfalls, to make them part of their everyday life, and not just to look at them now and then.

While Fallingwater is considered one of Wright’s greatest masterpieces, the site has had numerous structural and engineering problems since it was built. In the 1990s, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, along with Robert Silman Associates, endeavored to restore and stabilize the home. The terraces and cantilevers were reinforced without altering the exterior appearance of the house. The house was also re-waterproofed and repainted, and several structures were rebuilt. By the end of the project, the house, which originally cost $155,000, was restored for 11.5 million dollars. Aside from the chimneys and the small terrace that were rebuilt, the rest of the house is original, including the furnishings.

Little gossip about Fallingwater: Angelina Jolie brought Brad Pitt to the home for a two-hour private tour for his birthday in 2006. Apparently, Pitt wanted to experience Fallingwater ever since he took an architectural history course in college.