Between Silence and Light: Tom Livingston

Posted At : February 25, 2009 1:00 AM
Related Categories: Science & Social Science

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Excerpted from Between Silence and Light: Spirit in the Architecture of Louis I. Kahn by John Lobell, published by Shambhala Publications.

Read by Tom Livingston: "I'm an architect in my 35th year of practice in Alaska." An Alaskan since Statehood, Tom enjoys engaging Alaska while skiing, biking, fishing and hiking. Jan, his wife of 37 years, and their daughter Annie lend much-appreciated support to his lifelong pursuit of fine architecture. Two organizations he is involved with: the Aurora Waldorf School and Anchorage Youth Symphony.

Architect Louis Kahn was greatly influenced by the ancient architecture of Italy, Egypt, and Greece. In this passage, he explores the "beginnings," a recurring theme in his work.

"The wall did well for man. In its thickness and its strength, it protected man against destruction. But soon, the will to look out made man make a hole in the wall, and the wall was pained, and said, 'What are you doing to me? I protected you; I made you feel secure -- and now you put a hole through me!' And man said, 'But I see wonderful things, and I want to look out.' And the wall felt very sad.

Later man didn't just hack a hole through a wall, but made a discerning opening, one trimmed with fine stone, and he put a lintel over the opening. And soon the wall felt pretty well.

Consider also the momentous event in architecture when the wall parted and the column became."

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