Upon arrival at the circular main desk of polished blond wood in the wall-less visitors center, we received the telltale instruction: Take a number. Wait to be called for your group of 15 - probably about an hour, longer for parents with children, who must trade off because no one under age 12 is allowed inside.
But a visit is well worth the wait, and as fans of architecture, we found it inspiring that there was so much interest in the design of this beautiful and unique house. Fallingwater and another Wright creation, Kentuck Knob, the I.N. Hagan house nearby, can be a centerpiece of a visit to this mountainous rural region, about an hour's drive from Pittsburgh.
There are plenty of other offerings, including hiking and kayaking in Ohiopyle State Park, checking out antiques and flea markets, and taking in the rich history of the region, which is the site of General George Washington's early defeat at Fort Necessity, and also the country's first interstate highway. A somber additional destination is the temporary Flight 93 Memorial, some 40 miles away in Shanksville.
Wright built Fallingwater in 1937 for the Kaufmann family, owners of a successful department store chain, as a weekend home along a river. The family assumed the home would be on the side of the waterway, but Wright fashioned a series of concrete trays that were cantilevered over the river, making the living areas at one with the gurgling water flowing underneath. The design blends exterior and interior, and an open floor plan for some parts of the house, and very private nooks for others.
The history of Fallingwater includes salacious stories befitting such a landmark work of architecture. Wright initially scribbled the design in a few hours, was famously abrupt with his client, and much like some "starchitects" today, earned some scorn for basic structural and logistical aspects not working out well. The house sagged and struggled with mold, and over the years has had to be buttressed.
