The house above the waterfall has been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 2019. An alternative name for a landmark in Pennsylvania is the Kaufman Residence. In society, it is called a celebration of architecture, which emphasizes harmony with nature. During the construction work, all the trees and rocks remained intact.
History of creation
The house above the waterfall began to be built in 1936, the process took 3 years, and Frank Lloyd Wright was appointed the lead architect of the project. The object got its name due to the fact that it is located above a waterfall. Wright took the initiative to build a building outside the city under a stream of water so that the dwelling would merge with the wild nature, where rocks and a waterfall could be used as a reliable foundation, and a mountain river in a picturesque place would turn into a musical interior.
The house above the waterfall became the country residence of Edgar and Liliana Kaufman, it was difficult to live here on a permanent basis because of the noise of the waterfall. The complex included the main house where the family lived, a house for their assistants, a guest house, and a garage. When they were no longer alive, their son Edgar Jonas transferred the property to the management of the state, and in 1964 a museum was opened here, which attracts the attention of millions of visitors from all over the world.
Short description
The institution has had the status of a historical monument of the country since 1966. Museum visitors note that there is a special atmosphere in this place. Successful businessman Edgar Kaufman and his wife Liliana loved to receive guests here, among them were US President Franklin Roosevelt, as well as one of the founders of modern physics Albert Einstein, artist Frida Kahlo, actress and singer Marlene Dietrich.
Reinforced concrete slabs were used as the basis for the construction of the House above the waterfall. According to Wright's idea, part of the cliff on which the residence stands turned out to be inside the building and became an interior detail. Kaufman Sr. did not trust the architect's calculations and additionally invited specialists to check his work. When this became known, the implementation of the project was in danger of disruption, but the parties managed to find a common language. Initially, the construction was estimated at $35,000, but in the end the work cost $155,000. At that time, it was very expensive, taking into account inflation, the amount for 2025 would have amounted to more than 2.5 million dollars.
Later it turned out that the formwork was incorrectly formed during concreting of the consoles. The contractor arbitrarily decided to strengthen the structure, and this made it possible to avoid collapse. However, these measures were not enough. As soon as it was removed, the consoles began to deviate from their original position. Then Kaufman again began to involve outside experts, in response to which Wright said that the structure reflected the disharmony of the customers. During the renovation of the House above the waterfall, all the nuances were eliminated, and it became safe to stay in the building. It is visited by more than 100,000 people a year.
How to get
The landmark is located 70 kilometers southeast of Pittsburgh. There is no public transport to the House above the waterfall. You need to drive along Parkway East (I-376). From New Stanton, turn onto Route 119 S and continue southeast to Normanville. From it to the destination there is a road No381.
Gallery
