Advanced Simulation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater: Digital Reconstruction and Virtual Reality

The aim of the research was the geometric analysis, the digital reconstruction and the real-time simulation of the Fallingwater House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Edgar Kaufmann in the forest area of Pennsylvania. The research wants to define a procedure to be used for advanced perception of contemporary architecture designed inside natural contexts using new technologies of Virtual Reality. A detailed study of the spatial configuration of the environment was the main step of the work, considering 3D modeling of terrain morphology and different types of vegetation. Then we used 3D procedural shaders to apply static realistic material effects on surfaces and advanced dynamic shaders for moving materials, such as the water of the river. In this case three different typologies of water were defined, using particle flow procedures, to simulate running water, waterfall and water vapor generated with the collision of water on the rocks. The final step was to use a Virtual Reality System to allow users to explore in real-time the whole exterior and interior space of the scene. Thanks to the advanced restitution we can understand better the close relationship between natura naturans and natura naturata.