Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, students in Mrs. Bafile’s seminar created mock stained glass windows out of plexiglass and colored film. The small group met every other Thursday in the library to design their windows.
“I have always been interested in Frank Lloyd Wright. As a kid, I went to Frank Lloyd Wright’s ‘Fallingwater.’ I only made it to the visitor center and never got to actually go in and see. I wanted to go back, so we went this summer and just took a day and spent it there. It was really amazing, and the whole time I was thinking that my group [would be] really good to do [this project],” Bafile said.
Bafile presented pictures of Wright’s famous piece “Fallingwater”, located in Pennsylvania, to the students who then analyzed the individuality of his work. The scholars investigated the messages behind Wright’s work, and how he incorporated nature as a dominant aspect.
“He does have some connection to Pennsylvania. There are so many places that reflect his style so it kind of applies to us even here,” Bafile said.
Positioned above a waterfall not far from our school, Bafile created an association between Wright’s “Fallingwater” and her students by relating their home state.
“When ‘Fallingwater’ was designed, they were thinking [the house] would be in a good spot where they could look at the falls. Instead, the house is over the falls. I’m sure that wasn’t anybody’s intent, so that’s really interesting,” Bafile said.
Originally intended to be viewed through windows, Wright planned for the waterfall to be near the house. Later changed, the house embodied the falls within, and water flowed directly under the structure. Windows, another of Wright’s specialties, drew the attention of Bafile and her class.
“I made this up and it was just an idea of ‘how could we recreate this?’ Actually seeing the designs go from the paper, to now on those sheets of plastic and what they’re going to, I’m so excited to actually see them up,” Bafile said.
Students sketched their own window blueprints on pieces of paper and then laid out their plans on varying sizes of plexiglass. Manipulated to fabricate their designs, students measured, cut, and taped colored film onto their plexiglass in order for their windows to come together.
“One of the things that I find most fascinating about the work of Frank Lloyd Wright is how it is so timeless. It still looks so modern and we relate to it so easily. Everyone finds something in it that they seem to enjoy, and that style appeals to so many people. I’m hoping [my students] see that you can have an influence. One person can have a huge influence,” Bafile said.
When finished, the windows will replicate Wright’s lasting inspiration.
