06/15/2026
This Pride Month, we reflect on the creative legacy of Fallingwater and the people who helped shape its story, especially Edgar Kaufmann jr.
As the only child of Edgar and Liliane Kaufmann and the person who in 1963 entrusted Fallingwater to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Edgar Kaufmann jr. played the primary role in preserving one of America’s most iconic works of architecture. A scholar, curator and modernist thinker, he was deeply engaged in the worlds of art, design and architecture throughout his life.
Edgar Kaufmann jr. is recognized as a q***r figure whose contributions helped shape appreciation for 20th-century arts and design. He spent much of his life with designer Paul Mayén, his longtime partner, whose work at Fallingwater included the design of the Visitor Center.
Fallingwater today honors that spirit by welcoming diverse perspectives through our education programs, residencies and creative initiatives.
Happy Pride from all of us at Fallingwater. 🌈
(Left to right) Paul Mayen, Flores Mayen Radoczy, and Edgar Kaufmann jr. on the west terrace of Fallingwater, ca. 1957, Fallingwater Archive, 2014.028