The Farnsworth House by Robert Silman and Ashley Wilson

Описание: Built by Mies van der Rohe in 1951, the Farnsworth House is unarguably the most iconic building of the mid-century catalog of architecture worldwide. It is revered by all who know it for its elegance, ingenuity and originality. The challenges of the floodplain site are also well known as the building has endured numerous flood events over the past six decades; once during construction and again just three years after Dr. Edith Farnsworth moved into this retreat by the Fox River. Flood waters have breached the interior of the house three times since then, and caused extensive damage—and costly repairs—to the structure, its systems and its furnishings. In 2013 alone, there were two significant flood events, and the problem is expected to become increasingly acute in the years ahead, given current flooding models.

The rising waters of the Fox River represent a potentially devastating threat to Farnsworth’s future. Given that reality, the owner, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is analyzing the realities of the site conditions and developing solutions.

This paper will present three possible options for mitigating flood damage: (1) Placing a large volume of fill on site so that the house will be repositioned at a higher elevation in its present location (2) Moving the house back some 400 feet from its present location to higher ground, out of the flood plain (3) Constructing a mechanical system in a pit below the house, completely concealed from view, to raise the house above any future flood by temporarily lifting it on a system of hydraulic jacks and steel linkages and lowering back down after the flood subsides.