AR.

LOUIS KAHN
(Louis I kahn)
(full of louis Isadore kahn)

PRESENT BY:
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YASIR REHMANI
ABDUL REHMAN
MARYAM UROOJ 1
 We will discuss here.
■ Introduction About Architect.
■ Historical Background
■ Philosophy
■ Architectural Elements
■ Architectural Style
■ Timeline
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■ Two Major Project

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 Louis Isadore Kahn
Real name Itze-Leib Schmuilowsky;
He Was born in 20 February 1901 and died in 17
March 1974.
He was an Estonian born American architect based
in philadelphia. After working in various capacities for
several firms in Philadelphia, he founded his
own atelier in 1935. While continuing his private
practice, he served as a design critic and professor of
architecture at Yale School of Architecture from 1947
to 1957.
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 Louis Isadore Kahn
From 1957 until his death, he was a professor of
architecture at the School of Design at the 
University of Pennsylvania.
Kahn created a style that was monumental and
monolithic; his heavy buildings for the most part do
not hide their weight, their materials, or the way they
are assembled. He was awarded the AIA Gold Medal
 and the RIBA Gold Medal. At the time of his death he
was considered by some as "America's foremost
living architect.
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 Historical Background
He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, in 1924 and later toured Europe,
studying and sketching architectural monuments. In
1941 he was in partnership with George Howe and
from 1942 to 1944 with Howe and Oscar Stonorov.
Kahn designed private residences and worker
housing in the 1930s and '40s
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 Philosophy
Louis Kahn's philosophy of architecture was deeply
influenced by his belief in the fundamental
importance of human experience and emotion. He
believed that buildings should be designed to inspire
and elevate the human spirit. Kahn also believed in
the importance of materials and their ability to
express the essential qualities of a building. He used
raw materials, such as concrete and brick, to create
powerful, monumental structures that conveyed a
sense of permanence and timelessness. In his
designs, Kahn was also deeply concerned with the
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interplay of light and space

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 Philosophy
He believed that the experience of light was essential
to human perception and that it should be used to
create a sense of monumentality and awe. Kahn was
known for his interest in ancient architectural
traditions and his belief in the importance of
connecting contemporary architecture to the
timeless principles of the past. His work often
incorporated elements of ancient architecture, such
as arches and domes, into modern designs that were
at once familiar and innovative.
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 ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
Use of geometrical forms:
Kahn's architecture is highly influenced by geometric
forms such as cubes, triangles, and pyramids. He
believed that these shapes conveyed a sense of
timeless order and stability that could inspire people
who used his buildings.
Monumental scale:
Kahn's buildings are often very large and imposing,
with a sense of grandeur that can be awe-inspiring.
He used this scale to create a sense of presence and
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significance for his buildings.

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 ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
Use of light: Kahn was a master of using natural
light to shape his buildings
He used skylights, clerestory windows, and other
features to create dramatic effects with light and
shadow.
Use of materials: Kahn was a proponent of using
simple, natural materials like brick, concrete,
and stone. He believed that these materials conveyed
a sense of honesty and permanence that
was important for creating meaningful architecture.
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 ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
Emphasis on function: Although Kahn's buildings
are highly expressive and symbolic, he always placed
a strong emphasis on their practical functions
He believed that architecture should serve the needs
of the people who used it, and that its forms should
be dictated by its functions.
Integration with the site: Kahn's buildings were
often designed to integrate with their
natural surroundings. He believed that architecture
should not be imposed on the landscape, but
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rather should grow out of it and enhance it.

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 ARCHITECTURAL STYLE
Louis Kahn was known for his monumental and
timeless buildings. He is often associated
with the "brutalist" style of architecture,
characterized by the use of raw concrete and
simple geometric forms. Kahn's buildings were
also noted for their use of light, with carefully
designed openings and spaces that allowed
natural light to enter and create dramatic
effects.
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 ARCHITECTURAL STYLE
His designs often included grand entrances,
impressive volumes, and striking patterns of
light and shadow. Overall, Kahn's style is
characterized by a sense of monumentality,
simplicity, and order, with a focus on creating
spaces that inspire and elevate the human
spirit.
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 1940
1935 1950 1954
TIMELIN 1944 1951 1956
E 1947 1952 1957

Jesse Oser House, 628 Morton and Lenore Weiss Jewish Community
Jersey Homestea
Stetson Road, Elkins House Center (including 
ds Cooperative De , 2935 Whitehall Rd, East Trenton Bath House),
Park, Pennsylvania
velopment Norriton, Pennsylvania New Jersey
, Hightstown, New Carver Court, Foundry Yale University Art Gallery Wharton Esherick Studio,
Street, Coatsville, , 1111 Chapel Street, New Richards
Jersey Haven, Connecticut
Pennsylvania MedicalResearch
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City Tower Project, Laboratories, 

Phillip Q. Roche House, Philadelphia, University of
2101 Harts Lane, Pennsylvania (unbuilt) Pennsylvania
Conshohocken, 13
Fred
Pennsylvania
 TIMELINE

1958 1961 1965

1969 1974
195 1962 1966
1971 1976
9 1963 1968
1960 1973 1679

Tribune Review Publishin
g Company Building
, 622 Cabin Hill Drive,
Greensburg,
Pennsylvania Margaret
Esherick House
Salk Institute for Biologic
al Studies
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Point Counterpoint, Phillips Exeter Academy L Yale Center for British Art Franklin D. Roosevelt Fou
Philadelphia's Mikveh ibrary , Yale University, New r Freedoms Park
Israel , Front Street, Exeter, New Haven, Connecticut , Roosevelt Island, New
Indian Institute of Manag Hampshire Kimbell Steven Korman House, York City, Point
ement Art Museum Counterpoint II, Flora
Sheaff Lane, Fort
Jatiyo Sangshad Olivetti-Underwood Facto Washington, Lamson Hewlett Library
Bhaban, the National ry Pennsylvania  of the 
Assembly Building of

Arts United Center Graduate Theological Uni

First Unitarian Church
Erdman Hall Dormitories
Norman Fisher House
Bangladesh, Dhaka, Temple Beth El of Northe  (Formerly known as the on
Bangladesh rn Westchester , Berkeley, California
Fine Arts Foundation
President's Estate, Hurva Synagogue, Civic Center), Fort Wayne, 14
Islamabad, Pakistan Jerusalem, Israel Indiana
 We will talk about
1-EXETER the Two major Project
LIBRARY
TECHNICAL
INFORMATION
Location: Exeter, New Hampshire, 
United State
Topics: Modernism, Primitive
Shape, Voids, Concrete, Brick
Type: Library
Area: 12,300 m2
Project Year: 1965-1972
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 It is considered one of his greatest
achievements. The building is a
testament to Kahn’s unique
approach to architecture, combining
materials, light, and form to create a
truly exceptional space. The 80-foot
high structure spans 111 feet on
each side and features a brick
façade with elegant teak wood
panels. Inside, the library is known
for its innovative use of natural light,
with large skylights illuminating the
central atrium and reading areas.
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 It is widely regarded as one of the
most significant libraries in the
country and continues to inspire
architects and designers around the
world. Kahn structured the library in
three concentric square rings.The
outer ring built of load-bearing brick
includes all four exterior walls and
the library carrel desks immediately
inside them. The middle ring, which
is built of reinforced concrete, holds
the heavy book stacks. The inner
ring is a dramatic atrium with
enormous circular openings in its
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walls that reveal several floors of

book stacks. 17
 PARLIAMENT OF
BANGLADESH
Location: Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the
Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka.
Style: Modern, Monumental
Type: National Assembly
Area: 3,400,000 m2
Project Year: 1961-1982
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 CONCEPT

Louis I. Kahn designed this building

in modern architectural style.
● Modernist in principle
● optimizing the use of space
while representing Bangladeshi
heritage and culture
● Character of the context
● A symbol of democracy and
pride for the Bengali people
● People’s spirituality
● Riverine Bangladesh
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 The main building (the Bhaban) is
divided into three parts:

- The Main Plaza

- South Plaza
- Presidential Plaza Presidential Plaza

The main building is at the center of

the complex. The outer parts of the
complex include the MP hostel. An
intricately designed lake surrounds the
main building.
Cool air comes off the artificial lake to
Cool down the interior of the building
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 “Kahn was deeply affected by the
presence of water in Dhaka. When he
first came he was taken on a boat
ride. And his first sketches were of
boats on the river.”
Lake surrounded the three sides of the
building represents riverine Bangladesh.
It also enhances the beauty by
reflecting the elevations
Kahn designed the assembly hall
within simple forms and shapes to
provide a vocabulary that could easily
be incorporated into any design for
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the buildings of Bangladesh

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 He used break and concrete in new and
special ways.
Kahn also paid careful attention to the
use of sunlight and airy buildings.
All of Khan's buildings share a common
solidity and heaviness.
There weightless-looking structures

CONCLUSION
were mostly made of glass and metal.
He was known for his ability to create
monumental architecture that
responded to the human scale.
He was also concerned with creating
strong formal distinctions between
served spaces and servant spaces.
His palette of materials tended toward
heavily textured break and bare
concrete.
Khan was able to make the concrete
material of the building look both solid
and airy
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 Bibliography
• www.wikipedia.com
• www.archdaily.com
• www.folklife.si.edu
• www.yatzer.com
• www.oxfordartonline.com
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Thank YOU!
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