Louis Kahn

Louis Isadore Kahn (English: Louis Isadore Kahn, February 20, 1901 - March 14, 1974), formerly known as Itze-Leib Schmuilowsky, was an Estonian-Jewish American architect and architectural educator. He was born in Kuressaare, Estonia during the Tsarist Russia. In 1905, his family immigrated to the United States. He grew up in Philadelphia and became a U.S. citizen on May 15, 1914. After working for several companies in Pennsylvania, he established his own studio in 1935. From 1947 to 1957, while continuing his private practice, he served as professor of design criticism and architecture at Yale University. From 1957 until his death, he served as professor of architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. Kahn's design style was deeply influenced by ancient ruins and tended towards grandeur. His works are considered monumental masterpieces that transcend modernism.