The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, features two main buildings: the Louis I. Kahn building (1972) and the Renzo Piano Pavilion (2006). The Kahn building is celebrated for its innovative use of concrete vaults, natural lighting, and a design that evokes the luminosity of silver, while the Piano Pavilion provides additional gallery space and educational facilities, maintaining a transparent and discreet aesthetic. Both structures exemplify modern architectural principles, incorporating advanced technology and materials to create functional yet artistic environments.

1. Kimbell Art Museum
Forth Worth, Texas United States
Louis I Kahn Building (1972)
Renzo Piano Pavillion (2006)

2. 201532023 – Nurjahan Bintu

3. Louis I Kahn Building
Mecca of modern architecture and of all art gallery
Kimbell Art Museum

4. • Inspired from Roman
Architecture
• Roman Arch and
Vault
• The idea of creating a
space that evoked “the
luminosity of silver”
• Composed with 16
barrel cycloid vault
• Each vault 100’ long,
20’ high and 20’ wide
• Vaults are grouped
into three wing
• Central wing has 4
vaults with the western
one open as entrance
KimbellArtMuseum Kimbell Art Museum

5. Site Plan

6. Floor Plans
Kimbell Art Museum

7. Upper Floor Plan
Kimbell Art Museum

8. Kimbell Art Museum
Parking
Stair
Entrance Lobby

9. Kimbell Art Museum
Auditorium
Left Light Court
Right Light Court

10. Sections
Kimbell Art Museum

11. Kimbell Art Museum

12. Kimbell Art Museum
Structure
• Concrete shell and column
structure
• No true vault
• Vaults are made as concrete
shell
• Concrete vault shell has beam
on each edge and beam
supported by 4 column on each
corner
• Concrete arch is used in the
both end of the shell to make it
stronger
• The arch is connected with the
column

13. Structure
• Walls connecting the columns are
used to make the building stable
• All the walls are detached with the
vault to define that they are not used
as structure
• Space between the vault and the walls
are covered with glass
• All the structure is visible inside and
outside
Kimbell Art Museum

14. Lighting
• Light courts 1 in left and 2 in
right wing are given to enter
the natural light
• light also came from the long
punch in the apex of the
vault
Kimbell Art Museum

15. Lighting
• Anodized aluminum wings
are used to reflect the sun
light to give a silvery
lighted roof
• Glass is used under the
aluminum wing
• Shape of the aluminum
wing is defined by
computer
• it is one of the first
architectural elements ever
to be designed with
computer technology.
• Artificial lighting is
provided from the edge of
the glass panels
Kimbell Art Museum

16. Ari Ducts
• Air duct
and other
mechanical
services
are located
at the flat
channels
between
the vault
Kimbell Art Museum

17. • "like a piece of sculpture
outside the building."
- Louis I Kahn
• Illustrates how the
building is constructed
Kimbell Art Museum

18. • Concrete
• Travertine
• Anodized aluminum
• glass
Kimbell Art Museum
Material

19. Renzo Piano Pavilion
Additional Gallery Space and also used for classrooms and studio

20. Renzo Piano Pavilion
• Echos Kahn
buildings
heights, scale,
layout
• Dominates
transparency
• Light, discreet
• Half the
footprint
hidden
underground

21. Renzo Piano Pavilion
Plan

22. Renzo Piano Pavilion
Auditorium
Stair
Lounge

23. Renzo Piano Pavilion
Plan

24. Renzo Piano Pavilion
Section

25. Renzo Piano Pavilion
Material
Aluminum
Wood
Concrete
Glass

26. Renzo Piano Pavilion
Lighting

27. Renzo Piano Pavilion
Roof detail