Experiencing Frank Lloyd Wright

STORY BY Catherine Orlando Zubchevich

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY

Polymath Park / www.franklloydwrightovernight.net

Frank Lloyd Wright’s House on Kentuck Knob / kentuckknob.com

A key figure in architecture of the 20th century, Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,000 buildings in his 70-year career. Known for his innovative styles, use of space, and connection to nature, Wright was—and is, even years after his death—an inspiration and force in U.S. architecture. Several of his buildings are in Pennsylvania.

Perhaps one of the most well-known Frank Lloyd Wright designs, Fallingwater is nestled right in Mill Run in Fayette County. The home, built for the Pittsburgh-based Kaufmann family in 1935, is world-famous—in 2019, it earned a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It has also earned distinction at the national (National Historic Landmark) and state (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Treasure) levels as well. It’s considered a quintessential example of Wright’s unique style of architecture—namely, bringing the outdoors in and using natural elements from foundation to furniture. The house, constructed from materials on the site, sits atop the waterfall on the sprawling property. Today, Fallingwater is in its 60th year of welcoming the public to learn, tour, and marvel at the natural landscape and historic design. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has owned and maintained the property since 1963, and the nonprofit is responsible for everything this current season offers.

Special things to note are the two exhibitions featured in the Speyer Gallery. “Sacred Spaces: Frank Lloyd Wright and Andrew Pielage” opened in March and runs through June 10. Then, from October 15 through December 31, the gallery will feature “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Southwestern Pennsylvania: The Fallingwater Projects.”

The Fallingwater Institute offers a litany of educational opportunities throughout the year, from classes to workshops to residencies. Further information on the Institute can be found at the official website, https://fallingwater.org

They say you eat with your eyes. If that’s the case, fine dining and inspired architecture are a perfect pair. And one of the best places to experience this pairing is at Aqueous at Nemacolin.

Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” Nature lends itself to food and structure: We cultivate our food and build our homes on the land. The space at Aqueous was designed as an homage of sorts to the famed architect.

Aqueous’ chef, Tyler Hutchison, says, “You’re surrounded by water, rock, mystery, and a certain calmness when you enter through the artistic gate at the entrance to Aqueous.” This proclivity to blend the indoors with the outside is a wellknown staple of Wright’s designs.

Chef Hutchison’s environment influences his food, elevating everything he creates.

“We want each dish to be a representation of what is seen and experienced at Aqueous. … We consider a dish’s height, texture, and the guests’ thoughts of ‘Wow! What was that?’ when they try something new or unknown,” he says.

The menu is fresh, seasonal, and features several seafood options. Expect to be impressed because Chef Hutchison’s dishes are thoughtful and intentional. “Each layer of flavor and each ingredient has a purpose,” he says. When he describes his inspired dishes, he explains all the ways in which his creations are a feast for the senses.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed spaces, buildings, and homes that are immersive and impressive. Chef Hutchison not only works in a space influenced by this architectural visionary but also shares the artistic vision.

“In the kitchen at Aqueous and in the restaurants across the resort, we are artists, architects, storytellers, and people perfecting our craft all in one. It is an exciting journey, and we are able to showcase that every day and night here at Nemacolin.”

For more on the restaurant, visit www. nemacolin.com/dining/aqueous.

Just a short drive from Fallingwater, in Chalk Hill, sits Kentuck Knob. Commissioned by and for the Hagan family, Uniontown-based ice cream shop owners and friends of the Kaufmanns, the home is built into the rolling hills of the natural landscape.

Frank Lloyd Wright said, “No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other.” His belief in the symbiotic relationship between land and shelter dictated most of his design principles. At this time, he described it as Usonian—using native materials in building, flat roofs, builtin furniture, etc. This concept would be intrinsic to most of his work and can be seen today throughout his Pennsylvania properties. The tour season is now open at Kentuck Knob, and more information can be found at https://kentuckknob.com

Perhaps one of the most robust and diverse offerings of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, ideology, and experiences is Polymath Park in Acme. This site offers access to four homes of architectural significance, the opportunity to stay in the properties, and fine dining with a view.

“We initially moved to get away from it all,” says Heather Papinchak. “TreeTops was actually originally our home.” TreeTops is fine dining with a view, affectionately referred to as a “5-branch” dining experience, and guests are treated to a five-course prix fixe menu amidst a treehouse setting. Originally the Papinchaks’ home, it was converted in 2008 to better accommodate overnight guests staying in the site’s homes. For more on TreeTops, turn to page 23.

Call it a labor of love, a passion project, or an act of public service: Tom and Heather Papinchak have been bringing an immersive experience of organic architecture to the Laurel Highlands since they opened their doors to the public.

The couple purchased the land, complete with two Peter Berndtson houses, in 2003. Berndtson was Wright’s student and protégé, and he was commissioned in the 1960s by the Balter and Blum families of Pittsburgh to design summer homes in Westmoreland County. Fast forward to 2006, and Polymath began to grow, as the Papinchaks took on relocating its first Wright home. Tom and his crew disassembled Wright’s Duncan House in Illinois before carefully transporting and painstakingly rebuilding it on the Acme property. Years later, they would repeat the process with the Mäntylä House, originally constructed in Minnesota. This level of commitment speaks to the Papinchaks’ dedication to historical and natural preservation. While they have partnered with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to have the property be more accessible to the public, their work on this project has been a private endeavor. “We’re regular people with a passion to preserve architecture and embrace nature. Being here, guests can disconnect and make memories,” says Tom Papinchak.

What’s next for the trailblazers at Polymath Park? “The BirdWing house in Minnesota will be the next addition,” says Heather Papinchak. As Polymath Park continues to grow, the Papinchaks’ plan to add an education center.

For more information or to arrange a tour, accommodations, or dinner reservations, visit www.polymathpark.com

In a northern suburb of Philadelphia sits another Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece. Beth Sholom Synagogue, in Elkins Park, is a synagogue with both a dedicated congregation and artistic prestige.

Wright designed a few houses of worship, but the design of Beth Sholom was toward the end of his prolific life and career.

“It’s one of his last. The Guggenheim was dedicated just 31 days after us,” says Helene Mansheim, visitor center manager for the Beth Sholom Synagogue Preservation Foundation. While he was not alive for its dedication or completion, Wright saw Beth Sholom as it was being constructed. “Wright was 85 years old; he was in a very different place. By the time he gets to us, he’s just designing,” she says. The architect had already made his name, and the synagogue reflects his trademark style. “Frank Lloyd Wright was known for compression release— come in low, go high. You’re looking up, and it draws you in,” Mansheim says about the entrance to the synagogue. Further signature elements are apparent throughout the space— geometric patterns, hand-selected furniture and fixtures, and the abundance of natural light. The synagogue seats over 1,000 people and boasts ceilings that are 110 feet high, yet the design creates a sense of intimacy.

The building earned its National Historic Landmark title in 2007, and it is open to the public for visiting when it is not serving its religious purpose.

“For the most part, we are open for tours when it’s not a Jewish holiday, when it’s not Shabbat,” Mansheim says. The tours are a service to the public and the aficionados who visit for its architectural importance. But the space is as intentional now as it was when it was conceived. “The synagogue building is very special, but it’s the congregation that makes it. You want a building that kind of disappears, to allow for worship and community. It’s a very spiritual space,” Mansheim says.

This element of the building’s design was not accidental but decades in the making. The original Beth Sholom Synagogue was founded in 1919. The “House of Peace,” as the name translates, was headed by Rabbi Mortimer Cohen. After the synagogue moved from Philadelphia to its current location, the need for a new building became apparent. It was Cohen who spearheaded the project and pushed for a particular design. In his efforts to create his vision, the rabbi was referred to Frank Lloyd Wright by Boris Blais, the dean of Tyler School of Art. Cohen made his specific requests, most of which went into the final design, in his first letter to Wright. “Frank Lloyd Wright said, ‘When you’re sitting in a house of worship, you should feel as if you’re resting in the hands of God,’” says Mansheim.

In Beth Sholom Synagogue, Wright’s efforts to highlight the natural world create a beautiful backdrop that transcends physicality and invites pause, reflection, and worship. While a distinguished piece of American history and architecture, the synagogue embodies the true purpose of gathering with others and with God. “This is a community,” says Mansheim.

For more information about tours, visit www. bethsholompreservation.org/guided-tours.