Louis Kahn ARCHITECT PRESENTATION PPT.pptx

KMJ

1. 5 th Semester History of Architecture - IV

2. About Louis I Kahn Born on 20 February 1901 - American architect Louis Kahn, the American architect known for combining Modernism with the weight and dignity of ancient monuments. Kahn’s architecture is notable for its simple forms and compositions. Through the use of brick and poured-in concrete masonry, he developed a contemporary and monumental architecture. Louis Kahn’s work infused International style with a highly personal taste, poetry of light and exposing the materials without altering. His buildings were like mathematical theorems. Linear perfection. Monastic lines. Reductionist volumes. Unadorned surfaces. Geometric harmony. Louis I Kahn – The man who listened to Bricks

3. About Louis I Kahn Louis I Kahn – The man who listened to Bricks Kahn’s Style Kahn’s architecture is notable for its simple forms and compositions. Kahn’s design of buildings is characterized by powerful massive forms. Through the use of brick and poured-in concrete masonry, he developed a contemporary and monumental architecture that maintained sympathy for the site and did not loose its proportion. Louis Kahn’s work infused International style with a highly personal taste, poetry of light and exposing the materials without altering. His buildings were like mathematical theorems, well - realized to the last brickbat came with a great emotional sweep. Linear perfection. Monastic lines. Reductionist volumes. Unadorned surfaces. Geometric harmony.

4. Louis I Kahn – The man who listened to Bricks About Louis I Kahn Kahn’s Philosophy Kahn believed architecture was not just about function but intention, not just purpose but inspiration and emotional connection . He wanted to build modern buildings with evolved techniques but he wanted to make spaces breathe, and he wanted them to communicate with the shifting light of night and day, and to be relevant and timeless. Louis Kahn used to tell his students: if you are ever stuck for inspiration , ask your materials for advice. "You say to a brick, 'What do you want, brick?' And brick says to you, 'I like an arch.' And you say to brick, 'Look, I want one, too, but arches are expensive and I can use a concrete lintel.' And then you say:' What do you think of that, brick?' Brick says: 'I like an arch.' He was known as Louis Kahn: the brick whisperer. He believed strongly that architecture should appeal not only to practical and aesthetic needs but also to the humanistic needs of the people and communities it serves. Kahn was inspired by the work of many modern architects.

5. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn

6. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Background 1947 – After British rule was over, the Indian subcontinent was divided into two separate state India and Pakistan Pakistan again had to separate entities named East and West Pakistan From the very beginning East Pakistan was dominated by West Pakistan and soon became a hotbed for the autonomy movement 1959 – decision of a second capital Dhaka to bridge gap between the two part Secretariat – Islamabad General Assembly at Dhaka 1962 – Louis Khan was asked to ake studies and plans for National Assembly for the 2 nd Capital, Dhaka 1964 – Agreement was signed 1966 – Construction work started 1970 – Construction work slowed down because of lack of fund

7. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Background 1971 – Construction work interrupted for Civil War 1971, 16 th December – Bangladesh got independent. Decision was taken to continue the work 1974 – Louis Kahn died and David Wisdom & Associates was engaged to secure the continuity of the design principles. 1983 – the building was completed.

8. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn The Design Concept Louis Kahn sought to convey: Notion of Perennity Socia l Order Human Universalism Off course Kahn avoided creating an entirely western import.

9. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn The National Assembly in Dhaka is Bangladesh’s most famous modern building. Designed by Louis Kahn, who received the commission in 1962, when the Bangladesh was East Pakistan , it was completed only in 1983, nine years after its architect’s death. Kahn's key design philosophy optimizes the use of space while representing Bangladeshi heritage and culture. External lines are deeply recessed by porticoes with huge openings of regular geometric shapes on their exterior, shaping the building's overall visual impact.

10. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Universalism of Geometry

11. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn

12. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Pre Work Before Design 1. Outer perforated skin protecting inner structure and functions Kahn initiated a research program before starting to design To better understand local architectural style Traditional buildings, Mughal – Islamic and ancient architectures To evaluate the climatic factors that influence the city Experimented numerous techniques to figure out the appropriate ones.

13. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Pre Work Before Design 2. Raised Platform to create a base for Monumental structure

14. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Pre Work Before Design 3. The Ceiling & Central Chamber

15. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn 4. Servant space surrounds the Served Space Pre Work Before Design

16. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn 5. The Courtyard / Plaza Pre Work Before Design

17. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn 6. Contrast Pre Work Before Design Tajmahal , showing its relationship of white marble mausoleum to red stone cloister archades National Assembly Building showing its relationship of concrete Assembly to the brick hostels.

18. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn 7. Influence of Plan Pre Work Before Design Plan: Opera, Paris Plan: Sketch of Parliament Building Centralized Plans

19. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Kahn combined both vernacular and monumental arch types of the region. Kahn designed this building in modern architectural style. Modernist in principle. Optimizing the use of space while representing Bangladeshi heritage and culture. Concept

20. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn The complex as the necklace in the neck of the Bangladesh where the Assembly Building is the pendant of that Necklace.

21. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Layout The main building (the Bhaban ) is divided into three parts: The Main Plaza South 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.

22. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn

23. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn

24. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn The Bhaban (Main Building) Design The Bhaban consists of nine individual blocks: the eight peripheral blocks rise to a height of 110' while the central octagonal block rises to a height of 155'. All nine blocks include different groups of functional spaces and have different levels, inter-linked horizontally and vertically by corridors, lifts, stairs, light courts, and circular areas. The entire structure is designed to blend into one single, non-differentiable unit, that appears from the exterior to be a single story . The main committee rooms are located at level two in one of the peripheral blocks. All parliamentary functionaries, including Ministers and chairpersons of some of the Standing Committees, have offices in the Bhaban . The Parliament Secretariat also occupies offices in the same building.

25. The Bhaban (Main Building) Design National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn It is the parliament chamber Can house 354 members Also has two podiums and two galleries for VIP Visitors. Total height 155 feet After 117 feet a parabolic shell roof cover the chamber. Upper levels of the block contains the visitor and press galleries, as well as communication booths.

26. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn The Bhaban (Main Building) Design The roof was designed with a clearance of a single story to let in daylight. Daylight , reflecting from the surrounding walls and octagonal drum, filters into the Parliament Chamber. The efficient and aesthetic use of light was a strong architectural capability of Louis Kahn . The artificial lighting system has been carefully devised to provide zero obstruction to the entry of daylight. A composite chandelier is suspended from parabolic shell roof. This chandelier in turn consists of a metallic web, spanning the entire chamber, that supports the individual light fixtures.

27. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn

28. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn The South Plaza Faces the Manik Mia Avenue. Gradually rises to 20 feet Serves as the main entrance. This entrance is used by the members during sessions.

29. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Presidential Plaza Lies to the North Faces the lake road Serves as the intimate plaza for the MPs and other dignitaries. Contains marble steps, a gallery and an open movement.

30. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Materials All the building of the complex is made of Red Bricks. White Concrete is used for assembly building. All the materials are local and very easily available here. Landscape “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.

31. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn The Mosque He also considered to incorporate mosque in the form of a pyramid into the complex. Being inspired from spiritual belief, he let the light flood in. Made it the entrance of the building. Square in plan 4 cylinders at each corners, allows daylight to enter called Light tower.

32. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn

33. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Exterior Walls Shape of the large punches on the exterior walls came from the geometrical representation of our cultural and traditional element. These punches also give the building a single story look providing protection from sun and rain. Kahn designed the assembly hall within simple forms and shapes to provide a vocabulary that could easily be incorporated into any design for the buildings of Bangladesh .

34. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Climatic Response Big Windows Outer skin was provided to cut the heat and maintain the privacy which was punched with geometric perforations to provide ample light and ventilation Most of the interior spaces were designed initially to naturally ventilated.

35. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn

36. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Exterior Walls

37. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Structural Detail The entire complex is fabricated out of poured in place concrete with inlaid white marble. He gives the essence of spirituality in the structure also.

38. National Assembly building of Bangladesh - Louis Kahn Interior Spaces

39. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Date of Establishment 1962, established to meet the demand of industries for competent managers as well as to improve prevalent management technique. Location Ahmedabad Climate Hot dry with high temp Topography Flat land form Vegetation Sparse, difficult to maintain Site Area 106 acres Introduction

40. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn History of IIM While Louis Kahn was designing the National Assembly Building in Bangladesh in 1962, he was approached by an admiring Indian architect, Balkrishna Doshi , to design the 66 acre campus for the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, India. Location: Vastrapur , Ahmedabad Chief Architects: Louis Kahn, B.V. Doshi , Anant Raje Building Style: Contemporary Style

41. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Concept Development In Kahn's design for the Indian Institute of Management, a residential educational complex , he was able to join two of his most fundamental sources of inspiration : the school and the monastery. Kahn typically began with a square plan for the central classroom building , setting the dormitories and faculty housing in long diagonal rows so as to allow ventilation by the prevailing breezes.

42. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn The orientation of these last elements were shifted 90 degrees on the recommendation of Kahn's associate architect Balkrishna Doshi and as a result of Kahn's personal research into Indian precedents, such as the palaces at Fatehpur Sikri . While the initial schemes for the classroom building were monolithic, only opening at the corners for ventilation, Kahn later evolved the individual room-buildings - classrooms, faculty offices, library, dining hall - as independent, geometrically pure volumes, separated and joined by covered breezeways. In the final design, the dormitories make a series of urban spaces and the entire complex is experienced as a city in miniature. Concept Development

43. Site Plan of IIM, Ahmedabad

44. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Site Zoning The master plan of the institute is divided into two parts ACADEMIC BLOCK : Library School building Faculty blocks Dormitories Louis Kahn Plaza RESIDENTIAL BLOCK for faculty and clerical staff. Influenced by the management philosophy and student’s busy schedule Kahn integrated the living and learning spaces. All activities are placed within walk able distance. Orientation The diagonal layout had the advantage of the building being oriented towards the southwestern breezes. The orientation also helps to cut out the west sun reducing glare. Circulation Circulation is through 3 major roads Peripheral Internal Smaller internal roads Separate accesses are provided for the institutional complex and the residential area.

45. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Library Block The library building is a five storied structure with rectangular plan. It is approached by a broad, imposed flight of steps from the parking lot. The design has been convinced to entail movement from the active space to most private and quiet carrels at the farthest reaches.

46. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Library Block FIRST FLOOR : main reading hall SECOND FLOOR: accommodate triple height reciting hall and conference hall THIRD FLOOR : accommodates bound volumes of journals. FOURTH FLOOR : has bound volumes of old books and journals.

47. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Academic Block The school building is a longitudinal building located on the south west side of the library. It is connected to the library by an ambulatory and to the dormitory by an over bridge over the village street. The ground floor has most of the administrative offices with classrooms and seminar rooms on the first and second floors respectively. Lobbies are created in between classrooms and these not only provide entry to rooms but also serve as spots where students can meet and exchange ideas before dispersing after their classes. There is no acoustical disturbance from outsiders since an inner buffers space separates classrooms from circulation space .

48. Academic Block

49. Academic Block – Ground & First Floor Plans The shape of the classroom is hexagonal The design of classroom is based on the seminar type interaction between the students and the faculty. Windows are high to get glare free light.

50. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Dormitories The shape of each dormitory block is square with two residential wings, triangular lounge and a service area .

51. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Dormitories The design of individual blocks as well as their layout are intended to promote interaction among the students and to provide them privacy. The dorms are placed one behind the other to obtain the much needed breeze and cross ventilation.

52. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn

53. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn The dormitory buildings are among Kahn's most masterly compositions of pure geometric forms. Each dormitory is a cubic block, four storeys in height , and has two wings of individual rooms set at right angles to one another , separated by a vertical slot, forming an L-shape on the west and south that creates shadowed common spaces for informal meeting. A square , tower-like service block is placed on the north-east corner of each dormitory , its corners opened with narrow slots, so that the facades appear to stand free of one another. A diagonal wall, pierced by large circular openings and joined at its mid-point to the service tower, forms the outer edge of the triangular common room, with the semicircular stair at its centre. Dormitories

54. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Each dormitory is a cubic block, sliced into from top to bottom, square in plan , with equal-sized square courts opening off all four sides. Each court space is formed on the north and east sides by the open, grid-like walls of the bedrooms, and on the west and south by the solid walls of the bedrooms and service towers, relieved by the recessed diagonal walls of the tearooms.

55. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn Louis K ahn Plaza Instead of small courts one large court has been planned in the center to relate to movement around the classrooms, library and faculty administration. The Louis Kahn plaza is a raised platform in the court which is 120 feet wide serves formal occasions with large gatherings.

56. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn

57. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn

58. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn

59. IIM Ahmedabad - Louis Kahn

60. Other list of Buildings - Louis Kahn Phillips Exeter Academy Library Location: United State of America. Completed in 1972

61. Other list of Buildings - Louis Kahn Margaret Esherick House Location: Philadelphia. Completed in 1961

62. Other list of Buildings - Louis Kahn K imbell Art Museum Location: Fort Worth, Texas Completed in 1972

63. Other list of Buildings - Louis Kahn Richards Medical Research Laboratories Location: The Richards Medical Research Laboratories, located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia,  Completed in 1965

64. Other list of Buildings - Louis Kahn Yale University Art Gallery Location: New Haven, Connecticut. Completed in 1953

65. Other list of Buildings - Louis Kahn First Unitarian Church of Rochester Location: The First Unitarian Church of Rochester is located at 220 Winton Road South in Rochester, New York, U.S. Completed in 1969