Blog #8 - Monticello and Fallingwater

Monticello

Thomas Jefferson was involved in the continuous remodeling of his plantation and the structures within it for the better part of forty years. He used this property as the grounds for experimentations ranging from architectural to horticultural, and in many ways tried to found a new vision for construction in the United States. Consequently we see Monticello reflective of an alternative to Federal design, which was based largely on the Adamesque style originating from England. Monticello is thus less a statement of urban design, and is rather focused on the incorporation of nature and the many surrounding gardens of the property. 

The main structure is built to be a vantage point of what is outside, instead of simply serving as the central marvel of the plantation, as would be common in the Adamesque style. Jefferson’s home was hence becoming an example of neoclassical architecture, largely influenced by Andrea Palladio, of whom he owned several books. Jefferson gained this influence after serving as Minister of the United States to France following the death of his wife in 1782. This led Jefferson to discover Palladio’s Villa Rotunda, a structure which influenced him greatly in the layout and design of Monticello. Features like the Sky-room along with the use exterior and interior cornice work, and selected symmetry of Monticello are subsequently design features adopted from Palladio’s structure. In fact, Jefferson often referred to Monticello as a “Villa” himself. 

Overall this property is therefore very much an extension of Jefferson’s curious and experimental nature, drawing from his influences gained while serving in Europe. The many gardens and elevated landscape led Jefferson to pursue a layout different from the Federal approach common at the end of the 18^th century, and resulted in a mesmerizing structure reminiscent of a chateau or villa in the country side of France or Italy, rather than a traditional Colonial dwelling.

Fallingwater

With Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright created a structure that distanced itself greatly from the vastly industrial conquests shaping the United States at the time. The organic layout of this building evokes a spiritual nature usually reserved for age old temples or other ancient structures. This organic approach is matched with modernism in functional and visual form, as the layout of this structure requires engineering complexity concealed by minimalistic design and material uniformity. 

We find the use of cantilevers to support the floors and ceilings of the home, giving Fallingwater the appearance of having grown into place above the rushing currents, much like the course a first leaf would take in becoming a tree. The construction of these sophisticated support structures was not perfect, and noticeable sag has developed in these cantilevers due to inadequate settling and deflection considerations. 

Yet even with a few engineering fallbacks, this structure remains commendable in its vision and execution, appreciating a truly modern appeal even though it was built in the 1930s.

Chairs

Morris Chair:

The Morris chair was designed and built by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. of England in the late 1800s. These chairs were unique in that they featured an adjustable backrest, along with elevated armrests. This gave the chair a traditional appearance, but also provided for a good level of comfort. The chairs were commonly upholstered, and typically representative of the Victorian style.

Slant Back Chair:

The Slant Back Chair was a staple in Frank Lloyd Wright’s turnkey designs, and can be found in many of his creations, including the Hillside Home School, Unity Temple and the Larkin Administration Building. These chairs reflected Wright's love for local materials, especially wood, but primarily employed machining work in place of traditional finishing techniques. This created clean geometric designs, using natural materials. These chairs were built predominantly in the early 1900s.

Ladderback Chair:

The Ladderback Chair was one of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s many great pieces of interior design. It shows great design considerations, and includes the word “ladder” due to its tall slender shape, and its 25 individual steps within the back panel of the chair. This chair was ideal for filling narrow spaces that would otherwise remain void, and incorporated considerations of lighting and atmosphere typical to the art nouveau of the early 1900s.

Voyeuse Chair:

The Voyeuse chair is a characteristic representation of the growing pursuit for leisure activities and entertainment emerging during the time of the Rococo. With the rejection of strict stylistic adherence, and an emphasis on comfort and informality, the Rococo developed furniture like the Voyeuse chair. It was designed for the game-room, and offered comfort both to the participant of a certain game, as well as an observant bystander, keen to look over his or her shoulder. This is why we see the use of upholstery not just for the seat and back cushion but also on top of the backrest, in order to allow a second individual to comfortably rest their arms while leaning slightly forward. One finds these chairs primarily appearing during the 1700’s, built at the hands of gilded craftsmen in France.