Fallingwater Vs Crystal House

Fallingwater and Crystal Palace are two different buildings more than 100 years apart in architecture. These buildings have both made it through history of architecture by two famous architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Joseph Paxton. Their buildings display their sensitiveness to the natural environment. Also, how the compromises of these two buildings were based on their materials. Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1936, concrete, steel and stone, 5,330 square ft . This building is fascinating, the way Wright made the plans for construction on this home to make it blend in with nature yet it stands out giving a speechless sensation. In the film America´s Castle it is seen how Wright was very sensitive to the natural environment of his structure and site. His structures are meant to enhance the nature around it and not take all the attention. Another amazing fact mentioned on the film was that he …show more content…
The home was passed down from Edgar Kauffamnns Sr. to Edgar K. Jr. who donated the structure to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) in 1963 according to WPC Fallingwater . The compromises of Fallingwater were the cantilevers which based on the book Prebles´ Artforms by Patrick Frank are the overhanging portion of a beam or slab extended beyond a supporting column or wall. The reason it is a compromise is because over time since it is not reinforced eventually it will start bending causing early cracks on the structure. Since these cantilevers were meant for long suspended balconies they are quite dangerous over time if not reinforced. Luckily the Fallingwater was donated to the WPC which has preserved it from future deflections and from collapsing by adding support to the cantilevers. The WPC has not only preserved the outside but also the inside. The building still has the furnishes designed by Wright and the artwork chosen by him intact according to the WPC