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Frank Lloyd Wright's designs were noted for their boldness and and vision. Fallingwater fully utilized design concepts that perfectly articulated Wright's architectural theory, which he called organic architecture. He used natural stone to construct the vertical planes thus creating an actual as well as visual anchor in nature for the building. The broad, cantilevered horizontal planes are, in turn, anchored into the vertical using reinforced concrete bolsters. The structure rises more than 30 feet above the falls and its terraces extend 15 feet or more over the stream to create the impression of the building leaping into space. Blending the natural and the artistic use of technology in dynamic tension and harmony was a hallmark of Wright's designs.
Since its completion, Fallingwater has been the centerpiece of a special exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, and remains an icon of modern architectural design.
Wright's enchantment with the natural beauty of the setting lead him to incorporate elements of the landscape into the building. Most famously, a boulder at the building site was left undisturbed and made part of the fireplace and hearth in the main room. This deviated from from Wright's original design which called for the boulder to be shaved flat. The actual credit for this concept belongs to the house's owner, Edgar Kaufman, Sr. Wright readily embraced the idea and did not dissuade anyone from believing that it was his originally.
Structural Problems
At the time Fallingwater was built, detractors hypothesized that its radical design doomed it to breaking apart and tumbling into the stream. In fact, almost immediately the terraces began to bend and might actually have fallen off if the local engineering firm hired to execute Wright's design, Metzger-Richardson, had not doubled the number of reinforcement bars specified. This was done over vitriolic protest on Wright's part. Seventy years later, the terraces have sagged over 7 inches endangering Fallingwater's stability, and an $11.5 million rescue effort is underway. Robert Silman, a New York-based structural engineer, has designed a post-tensioning cable system to correct the defects and ensure structural integrity. Silman specializes in restoring Wright buildings because as he says, "they all have structural defects." Fortunately, the repairs will be hidden from view once completed, Wright's stature as a great architectural innovator remains undiminished.
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Fallingwater was
so unconventional that it was famous from its inception. It was discussed
extensively in the media and appeared on the cover of Time magazine long
before it was completed in 1939, 
