In 1962 Louis I. Kahn described the design of the Salk Institute as having been developed out
of a respect and understanding of the nature of nature before adding: I am becoming
increasingly conscious of the architecture of water the architecture of air the architecture
of light. Attempting to poetically unveil the world through the conscious architectonization of
nature the deliberations presented in this book interpret the American architect's buildings
as the result of a Stoic pursuit to comprehend the lawfulness of the natural world scrutinize
his endeavor to set spatial compositions into analogy with organisms' principles of growth and
form illustrate his growing awareness to shape space in reciprocity with environmental forces
and acknowledge his eventual willingness to make the surrounding landscape and cosmos an
integrated part of the architectural project. Furthermore Kahn's highly ambiguous epistemology
with regard to man's position within and beyond natureis being discussed - ultimately promoting
an ecologically sound down to earth approach which takes into account the impulse of the
primitive and elemental. Aspiring for an eternal expression the manifestation of the world of
the human spirit was for Kahn - one of the most legendary and original architects of the 20th
century - only possible within the larger order of the universe whereas the same transcendent
creative joy pervaded both.
