I read the book "Between Silence and Light: Spirit in the Architecture of Louis I. Kahn" by Louis Kahn and John Lobell.
For Kahn, the study of architecture was the study of human beings, their highest aspirations and most profound truths. To me, this book reads like poetry - it captures the spiritual ideas of architecture. This includes themes of order, knowledge, joy, touch, sight, wonder, the unmeasurable and the measurable.
I explored the city and photographed buildings that I thought captured some of the themes of the book. ~JM
 |
| Joy | Wonder National Academy of Science. This building has rich Hellenic, Byzantine, and Egyptian architectural influences and touches of Art Deco. |
 |
| Order Amazon's HQ2 states it used sustainable architecture and design. The two buildings are designed to integrate into the surrounding neighborhood while providing a sustainable environment for employees and the community. |
 |
| Touch "Queen City" confronts the 1941 seizure of Black-own land by the federal government for the construction of the Pentagon. There were 903 displaced residents of the Queen City neighborhood. 17 Black ceramists made 903 ceramic teardrop vessels that signify the displaced individuals. Queen City: The lost Black community swallowed up by The Pentagon |
 |
| Knowledge The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization. This Midcentury Modern architecture was designed by Uruguayan architect Roman Fresnedo Siri. The building features a triangular site, a curved glass curtain-walled office tower, and a circular glass building housing the council chambers. The building's design reflects the humanitarianism that dominates PAHO's endeavors. |
