Louis Kahn, his Notebooks

If you admire Louis Kahn the way I do, you may find a new project, the publication of his notebooks and drawings interesting. It will be published next year by Designers & Books as the third edition (it was first published in 1962 (by Falcon Press), with second edition of 1973 by MIT Press, and the third edition will soon enter Kickstarter.

Arguably the most important master architect of the postwar decades, Louis I Kahn (1901-74) executed a small portion of the buildings he designed, as his career was rather short, caused by the Great Depression and the Second World War. Yet, each one of the dozen buildings he realized is a concrete masterpiece. From the Salk Institute in La Jolla long the Pacific coast, known from the iconic photo by Ezra Stoller, completed in the late 50s, to his last project, the Four Freedom Park in New York that came to commemorate the life and work of President Roosevelt, but which he designed in 1973 and never completed (it was constructed in 2012), every building is powerful and iconic.

Among the collaborators of the new facsimile is his son Nathaniel Kahn, the creator of the memorable documentary ‘My Architect: A Son’s Journey, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2003. Now, as the publication is in Kickstarter, you can purchase an advance copy for $79 (the Gold Backer price including a signed copy the Facsimile will be $99), while the suggested retail price in bookstores after the Kickstarter will be $129; the Kickstarter will launch sometime in January, but you can register now. If you are interested to become a part in this exciting project, contact Steve Kroeter