Kimbell Art Museum

The Kimbell Art Museum in Ft. Worth, Texas - and other works by Louis Kahn - were an inspiration to me while I was in school. Kahn displayed a sensitivity in three areas - form, material, and light. I was in awe of how Kahn would design with a sophistication and still allow the natural elements (and flaws) of his materials to be exposed. Visiting this museum, and walking up the enclosed stair into the main lobby, is one which I will never forget.

The overall form for the museum comes from a grain silo - at one time visible from the site - resituated horizontally on the landscape. The materials were chosen due to their similarity to each other and their compatibility with the site. Kahn often used concrete on many of his projects, claiming that "concrete must be taken for whatever irregularities or accidents in the pouring reveal themselves."

The Kimbell consists of a series of barrel vaults (100 ft. long, 23 ft. wide) with curved concrete roof/ceilings that are radially offset from the curve of the travertine-clad walls. This narrow slit allowed diffuse natural light to run the length of each vault and into the space below without causing damage to the artwork on display. The end vault is left open to create a transition from the building to the pond and park beyond.

Louis Kahn was quite a character. In addition to being a reknown architect with projects around the world, he was also a college instructor and, if you've ever seen the documentary "My Father, the Architect," he also managed to secretly lead separate lives with two different families on opposite ends of the country ... and I often complain that I can't get my lazy ass out of bed to go to my one job.