I’m intrigued by the life and architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. I’m sure I would have disliked the man had I encountered him at the grocery store (unlikely) or a social gathering (just as unlikely). He was a man of vision, a creative man; qualities that often produce irascible personalities, of which he was one. That said, his work is fascinating and I gravitate toward the general principles he espoused, which promoted the use of native materials; large cantilevered overhangs for passive solar heating and natural cooling; natural lighting with clerestory windows; and radiant-floor heat.

One of the highlights of my recent road trip was a tour of Fallingwater in Mill Run, PA. In this unique home, Wright strove to fit human shelter into the natural world by designing the house over and around a specific stream and the massive rocks that stream flowed over and around. As a matter of fact, the fireplace is built atop the very rock that the clients had picnicked on for years before commissioning this summer house. Wright’s painfully small, dark hallways and doors are meant to push people towards the outdoors—large expanses of windows and cantilevered terraces invite communion with nature. The effect is nothing short of magical, with a looping symphony of the waterfall in the background.

An entire morning disappeared as I toured the inside of the house and strolled the extensive grounds. My first observation was the scent of wood in the visitor’s center, (which is, of course, a modern add-on). Interestingly, the structure of the house and guest house is solely concrete, steel, and local stone. Wood is used only decoratively because structural wood would not hold up in this damp environment. Enormous rhododendrons line the driveway to the house. These native rhodies bloom white rather than fuchsia and not until July.

Wright preferred to design interior furnishings to go with his architectural creations, however, his devotion to integrated design forfeits comfort and these clients nixed his design of free-standing furnishings but for one, token chair.

The tours are very well organized with Bluetooth ear bud speakers so tour guides don’t have to compete with each other or the ubiquitous flow of water. Tips for visiting: Book well in advance of your visit, as inside tours sell out quickly. It is well worth the money to spring for both inside tour and grounds access. Wear comfy shoes with good soles because you’ll be walking on sharp gravel and uneven surfaces. Plan on spending the better part of a day. I had one of my best lunches at the café in the visitor’s center.

Later in my journey I had the opportunity to see a completely different example of Wright’s work at Cedar Rock; Quasqueton, IA. Construction began six years after Fallingwater and took five years to complete. This house is a simpler, more utilitarian Usonian style: compact, efficient, affordable (?), with no attic, garage, or basement. Heat comes from a gravitational/radiant system under the concrete floor. Leaks were inherent, especially around the kitchen skylight. Wright’s design of furnishings, fabrics, draperies and accents are incorporated throughout. Inexpensively acquired chunks of colored glass came from the New York Corning factory and provide a recurring accent throughout the house. Perched on a bluff that overlooks the Wapsipinicon River, the Cedar Rock house includes a Wright-designed boat pavilion.

Tours here are less formal than at Fallingwater, but no less interesting. The home is administered by The Friends of Cedar Rock and maintenance and upkeep outstrip income. The tour guide talked of the critters who try to set up housekeeping in the now-vacant house. They include, of course, mice, which attract fox and milk snakes. A non-venomous Northern Banded Water snake lurks in the boathouse, happy to drop down from the rafters to scare the bejesus out of the unsuspecting guest or maintenance worker.

Neither of these houses was truly affordable for the average American. Both were woefully over-budget, as were most of Wright’s projects. And despite Wright’s aesthetic brilliance, the designs are often not as practical as they are beautiful to look at.