FALLING WATER

ARCHITECTURAL MODEL

SELF-DIRECTED PROJECT
SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2021

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The prompt for this project was to create a scale model of an existing architectural landmark.

Frank LLoyd Wright’s Falling Water stood out to me as a building that bonded man-made linear geometry organically with the natural world.

This was one of my final pieces created during my degree and stands out as one of my most detailed and visually stunning works.
DESIGN PROCESS
Always fascinated by the level of detail one could convey when designing and building dioramas, I set out to build my very own.

The entire process took three months, beginning with sculpting a detailed terrain using elevation drawings of the site. Simultaneously, a set of scaled drawings from the original construction were used to create the initial structure out of foam board and balsa wood.
Once the terrain had been moulded and painted, the foundation was carved into place. Each floor after was formed from the previous. Before the glue was set, the building was hand painted. Windows of thin acrylic were then inserted, sealing off the interiors.
The stream and waterfall were formed with resin, painting the rapids effect afterwards. Foliage and miniatures were added, courtesy of local modelling shops, giving it a realistic finish.