Kids can enjoy the Fallingwater Gnome House Design Challenge

Photos courtesy of Fallingwater.

Fallingwater is arguably among the most famous personal houses in the world, and it’s right in our backyard in the Laurel Highlands. Visiting the house for a tour is the best way to experience it. But there are additional ways kids can learn about the significance of the house and what goes into design.

Here’s the latest opportunity: a fun project called the “Gnome House Design Challenge.”

Educators at Fallingwater created curriculum for students ages 8 to 13 to learn the architectural design process, as inspired by Fallingwater and Frank Loyd Wright.

“Each student receives a gnome, and each gnome is a little different,” explains Ashley Andrykovitch, senior director and curator of education at Fallingwater. “They come with a biography that tells you about their family, their pets, hobbies, likes and dislikes, and each student is challenged to create a house design for their gnome clients.”

This can be done by any child at home or with a teacher as a classroom project. There’s even a symposium each spring at Fallingwater (happening this year on Saturday, May 25) for those who participate. You can get all the information on this project right here, as well as many other programs for young people.