The ultimate example of his desire for harmony between natural and constructed forms is the Fallingwater house in rural Pennsylvania, which sits perched directly above a roaring waterfall. Motivated by his belief in “organic architecture,” Wright integrated the existing rock into his plans for the house, turning this exposed natural surface into the living room floor.
With the Guggenheim, Wright sought to create “an atmosphere of the unbroken wave,” a concept that reacted against the chaos of the building’s urban setting. A tightly wound spring among stagnant high rises, the museum beckons with its intriguing mood of pent-up energy. With light streaming from the ocular skylight ninety-two feet above the floor, Wright intended for the artwork within to be illuminated naturally.
