Kahn (Taschen Basic Architecture)

The late bloomer...

Though Louis Isidore Kahn (1901–1974) started his career late in his life, the few projects he was able to undertake were realized to perfection. With the Jonas Salk Institute in La Jolla, California (1959–1965) Kahn created a workspace with superb functional and aesthetic qualities; the institute’s Minimalist elements radiate a sense of eternal beauty. The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth (1966–1972) occupies the somewhat faceless city like an island of spiritual space, an effect that is achieved by simplicity in design and materials. Also, the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad (1962–1974) and the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, National Assembly of Bangladesh in Dhaka that was finished after his death are buildings of monumental importance, demonstrating the vision of a talented and very unusual man. This book brings together 17 Kahn projects, ranging from private housing to commercial architecture, religious buildings, exhibition spaces, and government buildings.

Joseph Rosa is the John H. Bryan Curator of Architecture and Design at The Art Institute of Chicago. He is the author of numerous publications and has taught at Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI_ARC), the California College of the Arts, The College of Environmental Design at the University of California in Berkeley, and the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation at Columbia University.