Professor George Longenecker, advisor to Fallingwater’s landscape architecture interns
Professor provides decades of guidance for landscape architecture interns In the summer of 1986, one of Fallingwater’s first landscape nature and listening to what it has to say. To this day, that’s how architecture interns, Sean Michael, appeared in Professor I teach students to appreciate plants beyond their scientific George Longenecker’s West Virginia University office on behalf characteristics or their functional and aesthetic applications of himself and the other inaugural landscape architecture in design.” intern, Tom Page, and asked, “Can you tell me what we should In addition to teaching at WVU for 39 years, George was a be doing up at Fallingwater?” founding member and executive director for 26 years of the Upon completing his internship, Sean recommended West Virginia Botanic Garden. He received the 2018 National Fallingwater hire a horticultural advisor, thus jumpstarting Award of Excellence from National Garden Clubs Inc. George’s long-running tenure as advisor to the site’s landscape Although retired from teaching, George plans to continue architecture interns. George, who had once traversed the mentoring Fallingwater interns, supporting and inspiring a new country amassing 8,000 slides of Wright generation of caretakers who will enjoy sites, was happy to oblige. the responsibility of caring for the land For 33 summers, Fallingwater’s surrounding a World Heritage Site. Katherine Mabis McKenna Landscape Having access to the Conservancy’s Bear Internship, generously funded by the Run Nature Reserve for three decades Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation, affords George a unique perspective has provided opportunities for 67 interns, regarding the evolving philosophy of all of whom benefited from George’s the property’s care. That perspective guidance. Aspiring landscape architects has provided him insight on future address plant conservation and management plans for the longevity of landscape restoration projects. Fallingwater’s plants and trees. Much of an intern’s work, George says, In light of Fallingwater’s World is hands-on learning, “not just design, Heritage inscription, a thoughtful but what happens beyond the design.” approach to landscape architecture is Projects have included designing and more important than ever, says Justin implementing plantings, repositioning Gunther, Fallingwater director and a cabin on the property, building steps Conservancy vice president. “George’s Professor Longenecker with Amanda Hayton and Bryce Brucker, summer to the overlook, addressing parking lot love of teaching and passion for Frank 2019 landscape architecture interns drainage issues, pulling invasive plants Lloyd Wright have created invaluable and deftly pruning the rhododendrons, learning experiences for the students, which left to grow unchecked would block visitors’ iconic view and his thoughtful approach to design has helped guide the of the house. Landscaping at Fallingwater, George says, “should establishment of appropriate policies for landscape care,” Justin look as if you haven’t done anything. People want things to look says. “The powerful union of architecture and nature defines like they’ve always been that way.” Fallingwater’s significance, making the careful stewardship of the landscape and the building equally important to the site's Derek Kalp, PLA, ASLA, a landscape architect at Penn State long-term preservation.” University, interned in 1993 and was inspired by George’s philosophy. “George told us the plants would talk to him, The professor agrees, observing simply, “There will never be which I thought was pretty funny,” Derek recalls. “But I realize another Fallingwater.” his approach is about recognizing our deep connection with
1
