The continuing saga of the Farnsworth House brings us a new chapter. Preservationists are considering installing hydraulic jacks could protect Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House from flood danger:
Preservationists have proposed a system of hydraulic jacks that could safeguard Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House from flood damage by lifting it into the air.
The preferred choice, priced between £1.5 and £1.8 million, would involve temporarily moving the house from its site, then installing a system of hydraulic steel trusses and a pit from which floodwater could be pumped away.
“I think one of the risks is that this is a new application of an old technology,” said Meeks. “The risk is overcoming the question mark in people’s minds. People will want to be satisfied that it’s the simplest solution.”
