Louis I. Kahn: The Making of a Room

Early Work

This section includes examples of Louis Kahn’s early work, much of it done in collaboration with his then partner, Oscar Stonorov, before he adopted the idea that “architecture comes from the making of a room.” During the 1930s and 1940s, Kahn’s work followed the conventions of modern design. Architecture used “open” floor plans with a limited number of dividing walls to allow for logical, flexible, and functional interiors, as seen in his plan for the “Design for Postwar Living” house competition.

A significant aspect of Kahn’s early work was his search to promote inexpensive housing for a large population. His Parasol House, with its prefabricated umbrella-like structure, was one of the solutions he offered, as he noted on a drawing for the project: “The roof is the house umbrella. The solution of this element will bring about a revolution in the supply of shelter for the houses of people all over the world.”

Even with his use of open planning, Kahn was still aware of a need to create spaces that would meet the users’ requirements. He demonstrated this with his built-in furnishings for the Radbill Oil Company and the multiple functionality of the covered carport in the“Design for Postwar Living” house, which he noted could also be“sheltered play space or clothes hanging space on rainy days.”

Click on the thumbnail images below for a larger view.

	“Design for Postwar Living” House Competition sponsored by California Arts and Architecture Stonorov and Kahn 1943, unbuilt Plan of First and Second Floor Pencil and colored pencil on tracing paper Louis I. Kahn Collection, University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission 030.I.A.130.1
	Parasol Houses For Knoll Associates Planning Unit Stonorov and Kahn 1944, unbuilt Plan and Perspective of Prefabricated Building Units Ink on tracing paper Louis I. Kahn Collection, University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission 030.I.A.156.5
	Cabinet About 1942 Oak and cedar Courtesy of Sue Ann Kahn
	Radbill Oil Company Philadelphia Stonorov and Kahn 1944-47, renovation of offices Plan, Section, Elevation, and Details of Boardroom Table and Chair Pencil and colored pencil on tracing paper Louis I. Kahn Collection, University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission 030.I.A.235.4
	Radbill Oil Company Philadelphia Stonorov and Kahn 1944-1947, renovation of offices Elevation of Boardroom Including Table and Chairs Pencil, colored pencil, and collage elements on vellum Louis I. Kahn Collection, University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission 030.I.A.235.5

"The Plan - A society of rooms is a place good to live work learn"

"The Room is the place of the mind"

"In a small room one does not say what one would in a large room"

"A room with only one other person could be generative. The vectors of each meet"

"A room is not a room without natural light"