Kahn at Penn Louis I. Kahn is widely known as an architect of powerful buildings. But although much has been said about his buildings, almost nothing has been written about Kahn as an unconventional teacher and philosopher whose influence on his students was far-reaching. Teaching was vitally important for Kahn, and through his Master’s Class at the University of Pennsylvania, he exerted a significant effect on the future course of architectural practice and education. This book is a critical, in-depth study of Kahn’s philosophy of education and his unique pedagogy. It is the first extensive and comprehensive investi- gation of the Kahn Master’s Class as seen through the eyes of his graduate students at Penn. James F. Williamson is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Memphis and has also taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, Drexel University, and Rhodes College. He holds two Master of Architecture degrees from Penn, where he was a student in Louis Kahn’s Master’s Class of 1974. He was later an Associate with Venturi, Scott Brown, and Associates. For over thirty years he practiced as a principal in his own firm in Memphis with special interests in religious and institutional architecture. Williamson was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in recognition of his contributions in architectural design and education. He is the recipient of the 2014 AIA Edward S. Frey Award for career contribu- tions to religious architecture and support of the allied arts. Routledge Research in Architecture The Routledge Research in Architecture series provides the reader with the latest scholarship in the field of architecture. The series publishes research from across the globe and covers areas as diverse as architectural history and theory, technology, digital architecture, structures, materials, details, design, monographs of architects, interior design, and much more. By making these studies available to the worldwide academic community, the series aims to promote quality architectural research. An Architecture of Parts Assembling the Centre: Architects, Building Workers and Architecture for Indigenous Industrialisation in Britain Cultures 1940–1970 Australia and Beyond Christine Wall Janet McGaw and Anoma Pieris Towards an Articulated The Films of Charles and Ray Eames Phenomenological Interpretation of A Universal Sense of Expectation Architecture Eric Schuldenfrei Phenomenal Phenomenology M. Reza Shirazi Intersections of Space and Ethos Searching for the Unmeasurable Architectural System Structures Nikolaos-Ion Terzoglou, Kyriaki Integrating Design Complexity in Tsoukala and Charikleia Industrialised Construction Pantelidou Kasper Sánchez Vibæk Ars et Ingenium: The Embodiment Space Unveiled of Imagination in Francesco di Invisible Cultures in the Design Giorgio Martini’s Drawings Studio Pari Riahi Edited by Carla Jackson Bell Kahn at Penn Architectural Temperance Transformative Teacher of Spain and Rome, 1700–1759 Architecture Victor Deupi James Williamson Kahn at Penn Transformative teacher of architecture James F. Williamson First published 2015 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2015 James Williamson The right of James Williamson to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Williamson, James, 1946–. Kahn at Penn: transformative teacher of architecture/James Williamson. pages cm.—(Routledge research in architecture) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Kahn, Louis I., 1901–1974—Philosophy. 2. Kahn, Louis I., 1901–1974— Career in teaching. 3. University of Pennsylvania—Faculty. I. Title. NA737.K28W55 2015 720.92—dc23 2014035589 ISBN: 978-1-138-78214-3 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-76936-3 (ebk) Typeset in Sabon by Florence Production Ltd, Stoodleigh, Devon, UK For my graduate students of architecture at the University of Memphis. Through their eyes I continue to discover Louis Kahn. This page intentionally left bank Contents List of figures ix Master’s Class contributors xi Acknowledgments xv Introduction 1 PART I Searching for the Unmeasurable 5 1 Louis I. Kahn at the University of Pennsylvania 7 2 A philosophy of education 12 3 A man under a tree 23 4 Pedagogy in practice 37 5 Kahn and his students 69 6 Kahn and the psychology of creativity 88 7 Kahn in the light of contemporary architectural education 99 PART II A teacher of teachers and practitioners 107 8 Teachers and practitioners 109 9 After Lou 113 JOHN TYLER SIDENER JR. viii Contents 10 Kahn’s voice 123 RICHARD T. REEP SR. 11 Learn, do, order, reflect: the cycle of a career 131 MAX A. ROBINSON 12 The Kahn connection 141 GARY MOYE 13 From the ground 150 STAN FIELD 14 Lessons learned, lessons applied 157 JAMES L. CUTLER 15 Becoming and being: reflections on a career 164 SHERMAN ARONSON Epilogue: a teacher’s legacy 173 Appendices: Design problems and student demography, 1955–74 186 Appendix A: Class problems and student demography, 1955–74 189 Appendix B: Country of origin 193 Appendix C: Institutions of higher education attended prior to enrollment at the University of Pennsylvania 194 Bibliography 198 Index 200 Figures 0.1 Louis I. Kahn xvi 0.2 The author and Kahn, 1974 3 3.1 Louis I. Kahn at the University of Pennsylvania, n.d. Photograph by Hans Namuth ©1991 Hans Namuth Estate, Courtesy Center for Creative Photography “That Socratic manner of searching, debating, discussing around the big table was the best and truest, democratic ‘round table’ style I have ever seen […].” Fikret Yegul, Master’s Class of 1966 26 3.2 “Schools began with a man under a tree, who did not know he was a teacher, discussing his realizations with a few others, who did not know they were students.” (Louis I. Kahn, Master’s Class, 1962) 28 4.1 “One shouldn’t judge in a school of architecture. One should criticize, but not judge.” (Louis I. Kahn) 43 4.2 Kahn’s Master’s Class met in the upper floor apse of Frank Furness’ Fine Arts Library (Master’s Class, 1974) 45 4.3 “School is my chapel. I write songs when I teach well.” (Louis I. Kahn) 45 4.4 Room (student project, Master’s Class, 1974) 47 4.5 Music school (student project, Master’s Class, 1972) 51 4.6 Society Hill housing (student project, Master’s Class, 1972) 51 4.7 Society Hill housing (student project, Master’s Class, 1972) 52 4.8 Redesign of Independence Mall (student project, Master’s Class, 1970) 53 4.9 Redesign of Independence Mall (Master’s Class, 1964) 54 4.10 North Philadelphia redevelopment (student project, Master’s Class, 1974) 55 4.11 Turning to face the blackboard and holding a piece of chalk in each hand, he proceeded to make a fluid, perfectly symmetrical drawing of a large flower-like object. (Master’s Class, 1964) 60 4.12 Final jury, 1970: Perkins, LeRicolais, Kahn, and Rice reviewing student projects 62 x List of figures 4.13 Final jury, 1970: Kahn’s juries were often treated like celebrity appearances 63 6.1 “Silence to Light; Light to Silence.” Drawing by Louis I. Kahn 89 14.1 Room (student project, Master’s Class, 1974) 159 Master’s Class contributors Sherman Aronson, AIA, LEED BD+C, Master’s Class of 1974, is a Senior Associate with BLT-Architects in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with special interests in sustainable design and historic preservation. He is an Adjunct Professor of Architecture at Drexel University. Michael Bednar, FAIA, Master’s Class of 1967, is Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of Virginia where he taught design studio, urban design, and lighting for forty years and authored four books. David Bernstein, Master’s Class of 1962, is co-founder of Levitt Bernstein Architects ’68 and Circle 33 Housing Trust in London. He specializes in social housing and buildings for the arts. J. Michael Cobb, Ph.D., AICP, PP, Master’s Class of 1970, is an urban designer, planner, and development consultant. He directed the master planning and urban design of Jubail New Industrial City in Saudi Arabia as well as many other international projects. His practice is based in Princeton, New Jersey. James L. Cutler, FAIA, Master’s Class of 1974, founded his own firm in 1977 (now Cutler Anderson Architects) on Bainbridge Island, Washington, focusing on custom residential and corporate projects. Jim has taught design studios at Harvard, Dartmouth, and the Universities of Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, California at Berkeley, Washington, and Oregon. Edward D’Andrea, RA, Master’s Class of 1967, practices architecture in Malibu, California, specializing in custom homes. He taught design and architecture at Franconia College in New Hampshire before starting a design-build and land planning firm with partner William C. Reed. Charles E. Dagit Jr., FAIA, Master’s Class of 1968, is the retired founder of Dagit-Saylor Architects of Philadelphia. He has taught at Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, and is the author of Louis I. Kahn – Architect: Remembering the Man and Those Who Surrounded Him. xii Master’s Class contributors David G.