LondonTown.com: Groundbreaking architect celebrated at London exhibition


Released on: May 06, 2014, 5:04 am (EDT)
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Industry: Travel

The Design Museum will look at the work of visionary American architect Louis Kahn.

LONDON, -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- A new exhibition at the Design Museum in London will look at the work of visionary architect Louis Kahn. Kahn, who died in 1974, was responsible for landmark creations such as the Franklin D Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York and the exhibition will examine his work and legacy through architectural models, original drawings, travel sketches, photographs and films. Louis Kahn: The Power Of Architecture will run from 9th July to 12th October 2014. The Design Museum is located in Shad Thames, close to the Tower Bridge and the cultural delights of the South Bank. To explore the area, see LondonTown.com, London's best website for tourists where you can also find information on London hotels, bars, restaurants, shops and galleries.

Kahn has described in his New York Times obituary as having been one of America's foremost living architects, but he realised few buildings in his lifetime and died practically bankrupt. Despite this, he was hugely influential – a fact affirmed by interviews with Frank Gehry, Renzo Piano, Peter Zumthor and Sou Fujimoto which feature in the exhibition. Now, Kahn's reputation is being redefined and Louis Kahn: The Power of Architecture  examines Kahn through a number of broad themes: The World as Structure – exploring the structural logic that forms the foundation of his buildings, and his work as a teacher; Ruins and Archetypes – illustrating his multifaceted references to architectural history; Grounding – showing the importance of landscape and environment within his work; and Community – demonstrating the fundamental social significance of architecture for Kahn.

All of Kahn's important projects are extensively documented, from his early urban planning concepts and single-family houses to late works such as the Roosevelt Memorial (1973-74), which was posthumously completed in October 2012. Kahn's greatest masterpieces all take the form of inspiring institutions: The Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, designed to be ‘a facility worthy of a visit by Picasso'; the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas – a showcase for Kahn's extraordinary ability to work with light; and the National Assembly Building in Dhaka, Bangladesh – testament to the incredible impact of his monumental style. Each project is fully represented in this timely exhibition, which seeks to bring one of the twentieth century's greatest master builders to a new audience.

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