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Fallingwater as this building is commonly named in english is a house designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935. Construction began in 1936, and ended with the completion of the guest house in 1939.

La Casa de la Cascada Fallingwater, como simplemente es conocida en ingls fue diseada en 1935 por el arquitecto norteamericano Frank Lloyd Wright. Su construccin arranc en 1936 y se complet con la casa de invitados en 1939.

"There in a beautiful forest was a solid, high rock ledge rising beside a waterfall, and the natural thing seemed to be to cantilever the house from that rock bank over the falling water... Then came (of course) Mr. Kaufmann's love for the beautiful site. He loved the site where the house was built and liked to listen to the waterfall. So that was a prime motive in the design. I think that you can hear the waterfall when you look at the design ()
Frank Lloyd Wright in an interview with Hugh Downs, 1954
Edgar Kaufmann Sr. was a Pittsburgh businessman. His family owned a property in a rural area with a waterfall and some cabins

En un hermoso bosque se alzaba junto a una cascada una plataforma slida y alta de roca, y pareca que lo natural era construir la casa encima, en forma de voladizo, sobre la cada de agua Adems estaba (claro est) el cario del Sr. Kaufmann por ese bonito lugar. Le encantaba el sitio sobre el que la casa estaba construida y le gustaba oir el sonido del agua. Esto se convirti en el principal motivo del diseo. Creo que puedes or la cascada cuando observas el diseo ()
Frank Lloyd Wright en una entrevista con Hugh Downs, 1954
Edgar Kaufmann, padre, era un hombre de negocios de Pittsburgh. Su familia posea varias cabaas cerca de una cascada en una zona

50 miles southeast of the city. Mr. Kaufmann contacted Wright to order a new project on this property: that was the origin of Fallingwater. Wright responded to the family's love for a waterfall on Bear Run, a rushing mountain stream. The Kaufmanns assumed quickly the idea of Wright designing a house that would overlook the waterfall. They were surprised hearing the Wright's suggestion to build a house positioned exactly over the falls. Given the contour of the land, Wright located a house anchored in the rock next to the falls, just over the stream. He oriented the house to the southeast as preferred, by this way the house would hover serenely over the water.

rural a 80 km hacia el sudeste de la ciudad. El seor Kaufmann contact con Wright para encargarle una nueva vivienda en esta propiedad. Ese fue el origen de esta obra. Wright correspondi al cario que senta la familia por aquel arroyo de montaa, llamado Bear Run, y su cascada. Los Kaufmann se hicieron rpidamente a la idea de que Wright diseara una casa mirando a la cada de agua. Pero, cul fue su sorpresa cuando les sugiri construirla directamente encima de la misma. Debido a las caractersticas del terreno, Wright decidi anclar la estructura en una gran roca prxima a la cascada justo sobre el riachuelo. La orient hacia el sudeste y con todo ello consigui que la casa asomara elegantemente sobre el agua.

Near the property, native Pottsville sandstone was available to compliment the reinforced concrete Wright had in mind for the cantilevered floors. With these materials he needed glass, framed to give structure and rhythm to the group. By this way, light would come from several angles to provide a balanced ambience.

Cerca de alli disponan de piedra arenisca para complementar al hormign armado que Wright pensaba usar en las plantas voladizas. Junto a estos materiales necesitaba el vidrio, que enmarc para dar estructura y ritmo al conjunto. As, la luz procedente de varios ngulos equilibrara el ambiente.

Wright extended the floors in horizontal bands, which echoed rock ledges, in a series of cantilevered concrete terraces, anchored to masonry walls made of the same sandstone as the rock ledges. The strong horizontal and vertical lines composed by terraces and walls are a distinctive feature of this house. Building Fallingwater was a complicated and detailed operation, yet the resulting house seems to belong quietly in its setting. It fits into the hillside and extends out over the waterfalls just as if it has always belonged there.

Desarroll las plantas en franjas horizontales, emulando las capas de roca y creando terrazas voladizas de hormign sustentadas sobre muros de carga hechos con la misma piedra arenisca que la plataforma de roca. Las marcadas lneas horizontales y verticales que se originan constituyen la caracterstica ms distintiva. La construccin de esta obra fue una operacin complicada y minuciosa, aunque el resultado aparenta pertenecer de modo natural al entorno. Se asienta en la ladera y se extiende por encima de las cascadas como si siempre hubiera estado all.

The perspective renderings presented here and below show graphically how Wright used concrete and stone in the structure of Fallingwater, level by level, as the house was built.
Original renderings by Cristbal Vila. Information extracted from the Book Fallingwater, a Frank Lloyd Wright Country House by Edgar Kaufmann, Jr.

Las perspectivas mostradas aqu muestran grficamente como Wright us hormign y piedra en la estructura del edificio, planta por planta, tal como la casa fue construida.
Ilustraciones originales de Cristbal Vila. Informacin extrada del libro Fallingwater, a Frank Lloyd Wright Country House por Edgar Kaufmann, Jr.

Fallingwater is the best example of Frank Lloyd Wright's concept of organic architecture, which promotes harmony between man and nature through design perfectly integrated with its environment. Wright embraced modern technology to achieve this, designing spaces for living. The project incorporates broad expanses of windows and the balconies are off main rooms giving by this way a sense of the closeness of the environment. There is also an interior staircase leading down from the living room allowing direct access to the stream beneath the house. On the hillside above the main house is a garage, servants' quarters, and a guest bedroom.

La Casa de la Cascada es el mejor ejemplo de la arquitectura orgnica, un concepto de Wright que promueve la armona entre hombre y la naturaleza a travs del diseo perfectamente integrado con el entorno. Wright se decant por tcnicas modernas para lograrlo, diseando un espacio para vivir. El proyecto incorpora amplios ventanales y los balcones son una prolongacin de las estancias principales, favoreciendo de ese modo una sensacin de proximidad con el entorno. Encontramos una escalera interior desde la sala de estar que permite acceder directamente a la corriente del arroyo bajo la casa. En la ladera, por encima del edificio principal, encontramos el garage, alojamiento del servicio y un dormitorio para invitados.

Fallingwater was the family's weekend home from 1937 to 1963. Since 1964 it's a museum with lots of people visiting it. It's the only great Wright house open to the public with its setting, original furnishings, and art work intact. Almost all of the original Wrightdesigned furnishings are still in place.

Esta fue la vivienda de fin de semana de la familia entre 1937 y 1963. Desde 1964 es un museo con gran cantidad de afluencia. Es la nica gran casa de Wright abierta al pblico con su decoracin, mobiliario, y obras de arte intactos. Casi todos los muebles originalmente diseados por Wright siguen en su sitio.

Unfortunately, the house had problems from the beginning. Pronounced sags were noticed immediately with both of the prominent balconiesthe living room and the second floor. Apart from this, given the humid environment don't forget that Fallingwater was built directly over running water the house also had mold problems. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy conducted an intensive program to preserve and restore Fallingwater. This involved a detailed study of the original design documents, in order to better understand the structure, then they developed and implemented a repair plan. The structural work was completed in 2002.

Lamentablemente, la obra tuvo problemas desde un principio. Unos pronunciados combamientos aparecieron enseguida en las terrazas ms salientes, en el cuarto de estar y en la segunda planta. Adems, debido a un ambiente tan hmedo no olvidemos que fue directamente construida encima del riachuelo la casa siempre tuvo problemas de moho. La Western Pennsylvania Conservancy llev a cabo un programa intensivo para preservar y restaurar el edificio. Ello implic un estudio detallado de los diseos originales, para comprender mejor la estructura y poder desarrollar e implementar un plan de reparacin. El trabajo estructural fue terminado en 2002.

Fallingwater became famous even before it was finished and its fame increased decade by decade. This is because the house in its setting embodies a powerful ideal - that people today can learn to live in harmony with nature.

La Casa de la Cascada lleg a ser famosa incluso antes de ser acabada y su fama aument dcada tras dcada. Esto es as porque la casa, con su ubicacin transmite una fuerte idea: que hoy en da la gente puede aprender a vivir en armona con la naturaleza.

Bibliography & complementary info / Bibliografa e informacin complementaria Wikipedia Fallingwater / La Casa de la Cascada Wikipedia Frank Lloyd Wright [ english / espaol ] Official Fallingwater website at Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Fallingwater architectural review at Frank.LloydWright.info Fallingwater info at Public Broadcasting Service Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

Book Fallingwater, a Frank Lloyd Wright Country House by Edgar Kaufmann, Jr. Principal Photography by Christopher Little and Thomas A. Heinz. Abbeville Press Publishers, New York [ this book at Amazon ] Thank you very much, Richard :-) I want to express my special gratitude to all people that share their Fallingwater's trip photographs through the net. You can find a bunch of good images searching FALLINGWATER on Flickr. This has been one of the most valuable font of visual references for me, to better understand this complex project. Thanks to all of you, Flickr users :-) Quiero dar las gracias a toda la gente que ha decidido compartir en internet las fotos de su visita a esta obra. Se encuentran montones de buenas imgenes buscandoFALLINGWATER en Flickr. sta ha sido una de las ms valiosas referencias visuales para mi, ayudandome a comprender mejor este complejo proyecto. Gracias a todos los usuarios de Flickr :-)

LEGAL NOTICES: [1] The images of Fallingwater were created and are displayed with the permission of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the owner of the copyright in the design of Fallingwater. Reference to Frank Lloyd Wright is also with permission of the Foundation, which is the owner of the Frank Lloyd Wright trademark and name, and all associated rights of publicity. [2] The name Fallingwater is used with permission by The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.