Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Fallingwater: combining nature and living

Coming through the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania on my way home from Buffalo, I made a special point of visiting Fallingwater (Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous house).  My mom had been a fan of his architecture, and certainly I'd heard of Fallingwater, and his contributions, too.

It was amazing.  The integration of the waterfall, the native vegetation surrounding the house, and the feeling of being nestled in the forest --  remarkable.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has done an excellent job of creating an experience for visitors that evokes the essence of what Wright and his clients, the Kaufmanns, created.

The visitor center gently brings you into the forest and the surroundings.  Wonderful.

I wish I'd had time to explore the surrounding hiking trails, and some of the other places in the Laurel Highlands, but our mountains in the Carolinas are great, too.