Louis I

Louis I. Kahn’s Notion of Light

• Biography of Louis I. Kahn

• Louis I. Kahn’s notion of light

• Examples (1) Phillips Exeter Academy Library (2) Kimbell Art Museum (3) Yale Center for British Art

Biography • 1901 Born on the Baltic island of Saaremaa in Estonia • 1905 Emigrated with his parents to Philadelphia • 1920-24 Studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania • 1937 Established his own office• 1947-57 Taught architecture in the Yale University • 1951 Designed the Yale University Art Gallery• 1957 Designed the Richards Medical Center • 1957-74 Taught architecture in the University of Pennsylvania• 1959 Designed the Salk Institute • 1961 Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad• 1962 National Assembly Building, Dhaka, Bangladesh • 1967 Phillips Exeter Academy Library • 1967 Kimbell Art Museum• 1969 Yale Center for British Art • 1974 Died in New York

Notion of Light

• In several lectures, Louis I. Kahn talked about Silence and Light. He said, ”Inspiration is the feeling of beginning at the threshold where Silence and Light meet. Silence, the unmeasurable, desire to be, desire to express, the source of new need, meet light, the measurable, giver of all presence, by will, by law, the measure of things already made, at a threshold which is inspiration, the sanctuary of art, the Treasure of Shadow.”

Notion of Light

• He also said that “all material in nature, the mountains and the streams and the air and we, are made of Light which has been spent, and this crumpled mass called material casts a shadow, and the shadow belongs to Light. So Light is really the source of all being.

Example - Phillips Exeter Academy Library

Phillips Exeter Academy Library, Central hall

Phillips Exeter Academy Library, View looking up at the central hall ceiling

Example - Phillips Exeter Academy Library

Phillips Exeter Academy Library. Carrels

Example - Kimbell Art Museum

Kimbell Art MuseumEntry portico and garden cou

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Example - Kimbell Art Museum

Kimbell Art Museum Cafe

Kimbell Art MuseumView through doorways of connecting staff offices

Example - Kimbell Art Museum

Kimbell Art MuseumView looking out the north-facingwindow wall

Kimbell Art MuseumGallery

Example - Kimbell Art Museum

Kimbell Art MuseumLouis Kahn in the auditoriu

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Kimbell Art MuseumDetail of entry portico vault and Museum wall

Example - Yale Center for British Art

Yale Center for British ArtEntrance court, looking up

Example - Yale Center for British Art

Yale Center for British ArtStair in library court

Yale Center for British ArtGallery court

Example - Yale Center for British Art

Yale Center for British ArtWest facade of the center with

court garden

Yale Center for British ArtWest elevation