in a kind of poetic architectural rhyme, not unlike the horizontal balconies and rocks do at Wright's Fallingwater. The house was anchored to the site in the cooling shadow of a large and majestic black maple (which was removed in 2013 due to age and damage). As Mies often did, the entrance is located on the sunny side, facing the river instead of the street, moving visitors around corners, and revealing views of the house and site from various angles as they approach the front door. The simple elongated cubic form of the house is parallel to the flow of the river, and the terrace platform is slipped downstream in relation to the elevated porch and living platform. Outdoor living spaces were designed to be extensions of the indoor space, with an open terrace and a screened porch (the screens have been removed). Yet the synthetic element always remains clearly distinct from the natural by its geometric forms that are highlighted by the choice of white as their primary color. Integration with nature Natural setting The Farnsworth House sits isolated on a floodplain that faces the Fox River, establishing the architect's concept of simple living. Open views from all sides of the building help enlarge the living space area and aid flow between the living space and its natural surroundings. Due to the floodplain, the Farnsworth House stands as an independent structure; construction materials include steel, concrete, natural stone, and glass. The steel, painted white, creates the structure that supports the floor and ceiling slabs. They are composed of concrete, along with radiant coil set in the floor used for heating purposes. The remainder of the exterior consists of the 1/4-inch-thick glass panels serving as walls. Flooding Due to the Farnsworth House's location in the Fox River floodplain, the site often experiences low-level flooding. Despite the precautions taken in the design, waters have risen substantially inside of the structure multiple times in excess of FEMA 500-year flood levels. 1954: three years after the completion of the House, flood waters rose over 2' in the interior living space. 1996: a Mesoscale Convective System with rainfall of over 16" caused widespread flash flooding in the region. The water rose to over 5' on the interior of the Farnsworth House, causing significant damage to utilities, wood veneers, glass, and furnishings. 1997: approximately 2" of water made it into the interior of the structure.