louis kahn - architect

Louis Kahn

Louis Kahn was an influential architect in the evolution of architecture. ­­Natural light was important to Kahn, he often designed a building to work the light in beautiful ways. Growing up Kahn was an artist and attended University of Pennsylvania for college. Kahn’s first big project was the Yale Art Gallery.  It led him to become famous for architecture. Figure 1 shows the famous stairwell in the Yale Art Gallery. It is famous for its triangular shape.  

Kahn was a shy person. This did not affect his work physically, however when it came to dealing with clients and finding commissions, he had a difficult time. Eventually he did design a few more things.  For example, he designed buildings at Bryn Mawr College and a structure at Salk Institute, figure 2. This structure overlooks the Ocean in California.  This incredible building reflects Kahn’s belief in designing buildings that were strong and monumental.  The detail and geometric structure is not only interesting to look at, it gives the building a powerful aesthetic. 

Kahn’s last project Capital Complex (figure 3) took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh. His goal was to create a futuristic, powerful piece of architecture.  Although it was not finished until after his death, it was a successful project.   Kahn’s understanding of geometric shapes was an amazing quality to have because it led his buildings to be beautifully complex and powerful.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3