Rizzoli Publications | Fallingwater The Model by Paul Bonfilio | Book Design

Fallingwater: The Model documents the extraordinary process behind a highly detailed architectural model of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Fallingwater. Created for the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the model was the culmination of two years of research and fabrication led by architect and model maker Paul Bonfilio—yes, my dad. Today, the model remains in MoMA’s Architecture and Design collection.

Paul carefully documented the process of recreating Wright’s house in miniature, from photographing and measuring the actual building to researching its construction, materials, and relationship to the surrounding landscape. That extensive documentation became the foundation for Fallingwater: The Model, published by Rizzoli, which explores both the making of the model and the architectural thinking behind Fallingwater itself.

I designed the book, cover, and editorial system to visually connect with Wright’s architecture without competing with the wealth of photographs, drawings, and technical information. The square format, structured layouts, and geometric graphic elements reference Wright’s strong sense of form and his integration of architecture with nature. At my father’s insistence, the accent color was Cherokee Red, connecting the book directly to the palette Wright used at Fallingwater.

The result is an architectural book design that brings together photography, technical documentation, history, and personal experience in a visual system that feels appropriate to both the precision of the model and the character of the building that inspired it.