Houses are a means of achieving a comfortable standard of living. However, there are a few extraordinary homes around the world. They were designed by talented architects who took architectural creativity to the next level. These odd homes are masterpieces in their own right. They provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience with their opulent facilities and breathtaking vistas. The process of creating these magnificent homes was both highly rewarding and quite demanding for the architects. Edgar J. Kaufmann, a Pittsburgh businessman, bought a tiny cabin in Bear Run, Pennsylvania, beside a waterfall. In 1935, he commissioned architect Frank Lloyd Wright to rebuild the mansion. Frank made the decision to build a residence on top of the waterfall. After many disagreements between Edgar and Frank over the house’s construction, it was finally completed in 1938. Edgar Kaufmann Jr. inherited Falling Water after his father died in 1955. He stayed at the residence on weekends. However, as a memorial to his parents, he opted to donate the house to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in 1963. He acted as a guide to Falling Waters’ administration, care, and education initiatives even after gifting the house. He was a frequent visitor to the residence as a tourist. With a design for the visitor center finished in 1981, Kaufmann’s colleague, architect and designer Paul Mayén, added to the legacy of Falling Water. This house is a work of art because it seamlessly blends the structure with its stunning natural surroundings. Falling Water was voted the Best All-Time Work of American Architecture by the American Institute of Architects in 1991, and it was ranked 29th on the AIA’s list of America’s Favorite Architecture in 2007.
