Hollow Stones, Extruded Shells: An Example of Evolutionary Process in the Servant/Served Dialogues of Luis Kahn

This paper examines the integration of structure and mechanical services in the Salk Institute and the Kimbell Art Museum. While both display an allegiance to Kahn’s concepts of ‘hollow stones’ and servant/served space, the schemes also display an evolutionary process that is rarely acknowledged in Kahn’s work. A surprising similarity between the Kimbell’s final configuration and an early scheme for the Salk—along with contemporary commentary by the Museum’s director—reveals an understanding on Kahn’s part of the holistic nature of architecture, structure, and environmental services, suggesting that these works be seen as part of a continuous technical experiment throughout Kahn’s career.

Volume Editors
Marilys R. Nepomechie & Robert Gonzalez

ISBN
0-935502-54-8