21005 Fallingwater Mod

[JGW3000]

I didn't want to bump an old topic, as I am also somewhat late to the party for this set, but finally purchased at a good price. Inspired by Superkalle's mod of 21005 Fallingwater http://www.eurobrick...84, in this set review topic: http://www.eurobrick....05 review&st=0, I made a MOD of Fallingwater using LDD, as the original design seemed somewhat bland, and after studying images available on the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy's Fallingwater website: http://www.fallingwater.org/ I also based some aspects on a mod posted by Spencer_R, https://www.flickr.com/photos/51130204@N04/7515792352/#The scale of the model doesn't lend itself to too many fine details, however. Changed the color of the stone work to capture somewhat the variegated nature of the actual building's stones, lowered the bridge, as suggested by others, and also added the red trim on the windows, another addition by Superkalle, to suggest the dark-red framing of the building's windows. The most bothersome in the original model was that the landscape visually merged with the building. I changed the ground color to dark tan, and highlighted the water course through the use of red-brown. A few cheese slopes and other small details added here and there to make the whole more pleasing. FInally, changed the color of the "non-visible" (below-ground) parts to black, and added the black base (also seen in previous 21005 mods). I retained the stackable / interlocking design of the original model.

I would like some opinions or feedback on the color choices, etc..., prior to acquiring parts needed. Thanks!

and the LDD file http://www.bricksafe...full mod v3.lxf

Here is the original, image linked to the original EB review topic

Edited June 26, 2014 by JGW3000

[Steve309]

I like the the modded version better.

To much tan in the set. The ground and the building same colour. I'm not a big fan of it.

I like what you did. The black as being soil I assume or just a base makes the building stand out a lot more and draws your eyes to the building

If you go through with it. I'd love to see pictures. And if possible a list of parts needed for this mod. As I may do it myself.

[mkeller234]

That is a significant improvement over the normal set. I really wanted to like this architecture set when it was released, bu the color scheme, or lack of one, bothered me too much. I assume they were going for the form over any type of realism, but it was a real deal killer for me. Great work! I really hope to see the real mod sometime.

[rollermonkey]

My only complaint is that you haven't shared the LDD parts list so the rest of us can make this amazing improvement to our own Fallingwater sets.

[jimmynick]

Fallingwater is an iconic building because of its shape. Its location in the woods around Pittsburgh makes it prettier, but there are plenty of buildings in the woods that aren't masterpieces of 20th-Century architecture.

I feel that the modded version has too many colours going around - most of the Architecture sets have one or two main colours in their palettes. If I were in charge of modding the set, I would only include dark red window frames on the central staircase and lt. bley stonework around those windows. The rest of the colours (including dark red under the cantilevers and the bley on the roofs) in the landscape add noise and distract from the central feature of the set: the shape of the building.

[Spencer_R]

Fallingwater is an iconic building because of its shape. Its location in the woods around Pittsburgh makes it prettier, but there are plenty of buildings in the woods that aren't masterpieces of 20th-Century architecture.

I feel that the modded version has too many colours going around - most of the Architecture sets have one or two main colours in their palettes. If I were in charge of modding the set, I would only include dark red window frames on the central staircase and lt. bley stonework around those windows. The rest of the colours (including dark red under the cantilevers and the bley on the roofs) in the landscape add noise and distract from the central feature of the set: the shape of the building.

This is kind of Adam Reed Tucker's approach. In his own words:

Overall, I usually build using a minimalist approach to both color and element selection, that said in this case there was not much of a choice as the structure in real life was entirely beige when construction began in 1936. Many modelers use light gray for the stone work, but actually this is not accurate. The stucco and native sandstone were originally a match, but over time the stone has weathered giving a darker color, but not gray as sandstone is a sandy/beige color.

Anyway, I wanted the texture of the stone to be seen by the subtle effects of natural shadows. Using a different color to replicate the texture could have been done, but that approach was not as authentic.

Hope that helps explain my choice of all beige.

I've done some similar type mods to mine to enhance it. I used the profile bricks for the stonework.

Fallingwater ReBrick'd by Spencer_R, on Flickr

Edited June 25, 2014 by Spencer_R

[JGW3000]

Thanks for the kind comments, especially Spencer_R, as your model was also an inspiration to my MOD, I edited the first post accordingly.

@Steve309 - the black is just "bedrock" supporting structure, I picked black as I have a lot of bricks in black, the only other suitable color could be DBG, which would then not provide enough contrast with the building's stonework.

My only complaint is that you haven't shared the LDD parts list so the rest of us can make this amazing improvement to our own Fallingwater sets.

I submitted this model to Rebrickable as public MOC-1724, not sure how long this will take to get approved, I will post a message when this happens. In the meantime, you can download the LDD file, http://www.bricksafe...full mod v3.lxf, and either use LDDManager or export a Bill of Materials (BOM), in Excel, direct from LDD

I feel that the modded version has too many colours going around - most of the Architecture sets have one or two main colours in their palettes

This is kind of Adam Reed Tucker's approach. In his own words:

Overall, I usually build using a minimalist approach to both color and element selection, that said in this case there was not much of a choice as the structure in real life was entirely beige when construction began in 1936. Many modelers use light gray for the stone work, but actually this is not accurate. The stucco and native sandstone were originally a match, but over time the stone has weathered giving a darker color, but not gray as sandstone is a sandy/beige color.

Anyway, I wanted the texture of the stone to be seen by the subtle effects of natural shadows. Using a different color to replicate the texture could have been done, but that approach was not as authentic.

Hope that helps explain my choice of all beige.

I too was initially bothered with having to much going on in terms of colors, but in the end, this is not just model of a building, but a model of a building in a landscape environment which is integral to the model, which is a unique aspect of 21005 as compared to the other architecture sets. After all, its a building over a waterfall.

We may have to agree to disagree on this one, and Spencer_R, thanks for posting the explanation from Adam Tucker. While I can agree on using all beige for the house, including the bricks, I don't see why you would want the landscape, and representations of natural stone features in the landscape, to be the same color as the building, as this is not at all realistic. While it has been 20+ years since I have been to Fallingwater so I don't have a clear recollection, certainly the landscape surrounding the house is typical of Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands - heavy forested, various shades of grey rocks and boulders, and red-brown soil and stream beds. Having visual contrast, between the model of the structure and the surrounding area and watercourse, in my opinion, enhances the remarkable nature of FLW's design. I choose dark tan to represent the soil, as I thought either red-brown, brown, or dark brown made the model more garish.

Edited June 26, 2014 by JGW3000

[Dewey Cheatum 1011 Western]

I like this one better then the one on top

woops i ment the one done by spencer

[AwesomeBantha]

Amazing MOD, JWG3000!

I own this set, and like many fellow EBers I'm happy about the tan pieces, but then again, it isn't like the real thing.

You've made a very simple change that improves this set drastically!

Can't wait to MOD mine too!

[JGW3000]

Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions - pro and con are both appreciated. I just received the last of the parts I needed, and so will be building, but may take a month or so unfortunately. I'll post pictures when done, of course.