Our People Matter

Fallingwater staff

Scott W. Perkins

Senior Director of Preservation and Collections

It might (or might not!) come as a surprise that Scott Perkins loves a good tchotchke.

The senior director of preservation and collections at Fallingwater keeps a patinaed cast bronze tile on his desk, purchased at Arcosanti, an architectural community started by Paolo Soleri, a former apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright. It holds papers in place on his desk while simultaneously inspiring his work.

Part of Scott’s role entails curating and overseeing the care of the furniture, textiles, ceramics, glass, paintings and works on paper on display inside Fallingwater – objects yes, but much more than tchotchkes.

“There is so much yet to learn about the artists, designers and manufacturers of the pieces,” says Scott, who came to Fallingwater in 2013. “The research and discoveries we bring to light about the Kaufmanns, as well as the Fallingwater commission and the collection, are among my favorite aspects of the job.”

Scott also administers the Fallingwater Archive of documents, drawings, photographs, and audio and visual materials, which are “filled with untold stories,” he notes. “There is nothing more fun than reading a letter or seeing a person in a photograph to complete the story behind a crafted or designed object or work of fine art.”

A large part of Scott’s work, which he finds both challenging and inspirational, involves leading preservation projects at Fallingwater.

“When new contractors are on the site, I can always see the look in their eyes of amazement, but also trepidation,” he says. “Many of them don’t want to be the one to ‘break’ Fallingwater, so we take time to explain the history of the house, and of those who built it in the 1930s.”

That can mean showing a stone mason the oddities in the way stone was laid. It can mean sharing historic construction photos of what constituted scaffolding back then, or how workers moved stone from the quarry to the site. And of course, sharing its importance as a World Heritage site.

In turn, Scott says, “I am inspired when our on-site team and those specialists – such as our architect, engineer and conservators – reveal things about the house and its contents.”

This thrill of the surprise, and the wonderment that accompanies each revelation, grounds him in his philosophy: “Always be open to humbly learning more.”