House above the waterfall

Fallingwater proved that Wright was not an outdated architect ready for retirement but an enduring visionary ready for the next phase of his career. Some of his most high-profile commissions came after, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The Kaufmanns continued to reside in Fallingwater but quickly noticed that the main terrace was beginning to sag, later recognized as the result of Wright’s refusal to use additional steel despite his contractor’s suggestions. The terrace was repaired decades later by adding steel cables.

Years after his parents’ deaths in the 1950s, Edgar Kaufmann, acting on his father’s wishes, entrusted the building and nearby land to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in 1963. Fallingwater opened as a museum the following year, with the Kaufmanns’ thoughtfully selected furniture and curated art collection intact. The conservancy continued to maintain the building into the 21st century, welcoming about 150,000 visitors per year. In 2019 the residence, along with seven other Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.