Brought to Light: Celebrating Louis Kahn’s residential designs

Each year the University of Pennsylvania’s Architectural Archives hosts Kahn Day to honor the former Penn professor and world-renowned architect, Louis Kahn, known for his pioneering work in modernism and “new Brutalist” architecture. Kahn is well known for projects including the Yale University Art Gallery, the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California and the National Assembly Building in Bangladesh. But his significant residential work, most of which is concentrated in a 30 miles radius of the Philadelphia, is less famous.

From February 20 to May 23, the Brought to Light: The Houses of Louis Kahn exhibit at the Harvey and Irwin Kroiz Gallery of the University of Pennsylvania’s Architectural Archives will focus on Kahn’s houses, mainly the nine houses that were built. This first ever exhibit of Kahn’s residential work will feature models, drawings, and new and old photographs of his built houses.

The exhibit will not only display the design of Kahn’s houses, but will also bring to light the relationships Kahn fostered with his clients. Architectural Archivist, Bill Whittaker, sees Kahn Day as an opportunity “to engage with a remarkable figure who we can still learn from.”

Brought to Light opens on Kahn’s 113th birthday, February 20, with a panel discussion on Kahn’s residential design and his clients at 4pm in Meyerson Hall (210 South 34th Street) and a gallery reception from 5:30-7pm. Both events are free and you can register in advance online.

Image above: Kahn’s sketch of the Esherick House, 1959. Courtesy of Louis I. Kahn Collection, University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.​