Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Class Trip to Monticello and Falling Water!




Over the past two days I went on a field trip with all of the other first year Interior Architecture students to Monticello in Charlottesville Virginia to see the house that Thomas Jefferson lived in and also to Fallingwater in Bear Run Pennsylvania to see a home that the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed.  Out of these two places my favorite house was definitely Fallingwater.  I loved this house so much.  Before I went on the trip I had seen pictures of the house on the outside and I thought it was really interesting looking and very well designed, I however had no idea until I actually got to experience it in person.  Just approaching the place by bus already made me have several thoughts.  I knew that it had to of been way out in the woods and secluded based on the fact that the roads we took to get there were very long and winding almost as if they were never ending.  Once I walked down to the actual house I was surrounded by nothing but nature at its finest.  Being here made me feel so disconnected from the outside world and all of the problems it may have.  When I first walked in the house it was like a whole new sense of what it actually was.  I thought nothing could get better than the outside until I walked in and saw the inside, it was incredible.  There were so many little details from the floor all the way to the ceiling.  The main room was so great in size, it completely brings the house all together.  This room could accommodate for some many functions and hold lots of people.  The most amazing part to me was walking out on all of the many balconies.  They all looked over the river.  I can imagine how peaceful it would truly be to just sit out on the balcony and relax, the sound of the flowing water below would be wonderful.  I feel like if I lived in this house I would tend to get lost in it.  There are just so many little areas and rooms in it.  That shows just how complex and greatly designed it really is.  Another cool part of it was in the main room there is glass that opens up to a staircase leading down to the actual water.  In the bed rooms up stairs there are narrow vertical windows that open up to the outside letting the noise of the moving water just flow right in the room.  This makes you feel as though you are outdoors without actually being outside.  One of my favorite aspects of this house was how Frank Lloyd Wright when he designed it tried to bring the outdoors inside, he was very successful at doing this.  Each room looks like an outdoor area with all of the stone work surrounding you.  The tour guide explained to me how the hallways are very dim lit and have low ceiling because it directs you into the rooms and out of the hallways.  This was the case for me, it did just that.  After exiting the house it felt as though my eyes had been opened to a whole new world.  It made me truly view architecture and design in a whole new light.  I think in the future it will really help me to think outside of the box and not just stick to what is perceived to be the normal or what people typically would do.  I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to embark on this trip.  I recommend it to everyone.  I would even love to go back again and again! 

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