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, Phillips Exeter Academy Library,

Central hall View looking up at the central hall ceiling
Example - Phillips Exeter Academy Library

Phillips Exeter Academy Library. Carrels

Example - Kimbell Art Museum

Kimbell Art Museum

Entry portico and garden court
 Example - Kimbell Art Museum

Kimbell Art Museum

Cafe

Kimbell Art Museum

View through doorways of connecting staff offices
Example - Kimbell Art Museum

Kimbell Art Museum Kimbell Art Museum

Gallery View looking out the north-facing
window wall
Example - Kimbell Art Museum

Kimbell Art Museum Kimbell Art Museum

Detail of entry portico vault and Louis Kahn in the auditorium
Museum wall
Example - Yale Center for British Art

Yale Center for British Art

Entrance court, looking up
Example - Yale Center for British Art

Yale Center for British Art Yale Center for British Art
Gallery court Stair in library court
Example - Yale Center for British Art

Yale Center for British Art Yale Center for British Art
West facade of the center with West elevation
court garden