From 2023 to 2026, the home was partly under scaffolding as the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy embarked on a $7 million preservation project. Over the years, Fallingwater has been experiencing water leaking into its interiors and has seen cracks, rust, and corrosion begin to form across some structures. This renovation effort—the Conservancy’s most comprehensive ever—restored or replaced building systems at Fallingwater that had been weakened over time by exposure to nature.
“Because Fallingwater is so integrated into its landscape, the effects of time and weather have really pushed the building systems to the ends of their useful lives,” explained Fallingwater Director Justin Gunther in a January 2024 video. The work now assures that the historic structure is watertight—and ready for future generations of visitors to enjoy the spectacular integration of its architecture design and natural setting.
The preservation project included injecting 12 tons of liquid grout into the home’s hollow walls to prevent the infiltration of water, mending cracks in its masonry and mortar joints, waterproofing all its flat roofs and flagstone terraces, fixing or replacing corroded steel frames for windows and doors, resealing windows and doors, and repairing degraded concrete, including reinforcing the canopied walkway that connects the main and guesthouses at the Fallingwater complex and rebuilding the deteriorated parapets.
Fallingwater remained largely open to visitors while this extensive work was ongoing, however, parts of the structures were covered during various times throughout the reconstruction. On March 14, 2026, the house reopened to the public with all the project scaffolding and enclosure covers removed.
What’s so special about Fallingwater?
“[Fallingwater] has served well as a house, yet has always been more than that,” Edgar Kaufmann Jr. once said, “a work of art beyond any ordinary measure of excellence.” Surrounded by 1,543 acres of natural land, the architecture is integrated with the spirit of its awe-inspiring environment. While its form is distinct and standout, Fallingwater was designed for a family to live in and among nature. Not only did the Kaufmanns commission the correct architect to achieve their specific ideal of country living, but Frank Lloyd Wright found the perfect clients to design a home that is the pinnacle of his explorations in the connection between land and building. Fallingwater is a 20th-century masterpiece in organic architecture—one that was created nearly four decades before the design world began to consider its impact on the planet.
In 2019, the house was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List along with seven other Frank Lloyd Wright–designed projects, after 15 years of effort by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. This group of significant works, which also includes the 1918–1921 Hollyhock House in Los Angeles and the 1956–1959 Guggenheim Museum in New York, became the UNESCO World Heritage List’s first-ever modern architecture designations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Fallingwater now?
The Kaufmann family owned Fallingwater until 1963 when they entrusted it to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Pittsburgh that preserves land and natural resources across the region.
Does anyone live in Fallingwater?
Though Fallingwater was designed as a private home for the Kaufmann family, it is now unoccupied to allow architecture aficionados from around the globe to explore its interior and exterior, all carefully designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. According to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy that protects and operates the house, more than 6.4 million visitors have visited Fallingwater since it opened as a public museum in 1964.
