Kleinhans Music Hall is located in Buffalo, New York, and was a project collaboration between Eero Saarinen and his father, Eliel Saarinen. The design of the hall is modeled after the body of an instrument, and it is known for its excellent acoustics. The simple lines and lack of decoration ensure that the focus is on the musical performance. Surrounding the hall, is a curved reflecting pool that reflects the image of the building. The building features a cantilevered roof that extends beyond the building. On the western entrance of the building, there is a series of ledges, climbing up the side of the building that resemble a musical scale. The hall contains 2 auditoriums, both of which are designed with acoustics in mind. The hall has been the backdrop for notable speeches, including Robert F. Kennedy in 1964 and Dr. Martin Luther King in 1967. In

The Trans World Flight Center or TWA was completed in 1962. The design, with acute angles, was supposed to mimic the wedge shaped area where it was built. The roof of the structure is made with varying thicknesses of concrete and each terminal is located at the end of one of the acute angle wings. The main head house is two stories tall, and the glass is stained green. While making models of the building, they re-did the plans 100s of times to ensure perfection. As flight travel grew, there was a need for more terminals and advanced technology. Debates over the conservation of the original wing rendered the wing unused for several years, and it was briefly used as a space to host an art exhibit. In May of 2019, the wing opened as a hotel.

Dulles International Airport is located 26 miles outside of Washington D.C. in Virginia. It opened to the public in 1962, but was not considered a major airport until the 1970s, during the age of jumbo jets. The main terminal was designed to suggest graceful beauty, much like flight. In addition to designing a modern building, Saarinen created mobile lounges, that served as waiting areas that also bused people to their flights. The modernist design features concrete, glass, and steel. The shape of the roof curves up like a wing in flight.

The St. Louis Arch is located in St. Louis, Missouri and was designed by American-Finnish architect, Eero Saarinen. The construction was completed in 1965, and is designated a national monument. The arch is 630 feet tall and is the tallest national monument in the United States. The arch symbolizes St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, posing as a “gateway” to the west. The cross-sections of steel are equilateral triangles. The arch is hollow to accommodate a tram system that allows visitors to ride to the top of the arch and stand on the viewing deck One struggle during construction was that the two sides did not meet in the middle near the end of construction. Additionally, an actuarial firm predicted that 13 workers would die during the construction of the arch, but thankfully, no workers died during the construction. The St. Louis Arch is a great example of the collaboration between engineers, mathematicians, and architects needed to create truly masterful structures.

The Renzo Piano Pavilion was a 2013 addition to the Kimbell art museum, a separate building from the original 1972 Louis Kahn building. Own it’s own, I appreciate the architecture and the functionality of the Renzo Piano Pavilion, yet, across the lawn from the original Kahn building, I find that the Renzo Piano Pavilion detracts from the awe of a building crafted by one of the least prolific, yet most talented architects of all time. While the Piano Pavilion has elements of the original Kahn building, such as concrete with visible dents from where the support bars once were, the Pavilion lacks the uniqueness that the Kahn building provides. This Pavilion is important to me because each time I visit the Kimbell, I am reminded of what was once an expansive lawn. I notice people entering the Kahn building through the unintended entrance, exiting through the intended entrance, and across the lawn straight to the Pavilion. People are no longer spending time in the Kahn Building. Now, the Kahn building serves as a place for the permanent collection, and the visiting exhibits are all hosted in Renzo Piano Pavilion. Recently, I went to see a Renoir exhibit, and to my sadness, it was on display in the Renzo Piano Pavilion.

In addition to the special memories I’ve made at the Kimbell Art Museum, I have also learned about architecture and its symbolism as well as functionality. Kahn designed the building taking inspiration from Roman architecture. Additionally, from the sky, the museum looks like cattle barns, an homage to the city of Fort Worth which is commonly referred to as Cowtown. One of the important functions incorporated in the architecture is the reflection of natural light to illuminate the art work without damaging it with direct light. The shape of each vault allows light down through a narrow window that then reflects the light back onto the ceiling. The functionality of this specific design has made me look at architecture with a more critical eye.

One reason that the Kimbell Art Museum has had a significant impact on me is because of the architecture. In high school, I watched the documentary My Architect, directed by Louis Kahn’s son. The documentary detailed the drama surrounding Kahn’s life, including interviews with the two separate families that Kahn kept a secret until his sudden death, where he was found dead in a Penn Station bathroom with no identification on him. The drama surrounding Kahn’s life fascinated me, and inspired me to look into Kahn’s architecture. I was even able to get a tour of the Kimbell art museum by a woman who allegedly knew Kahn, and had worked at the Kimbell since its inception. It was fascinating how passionate he was about every detail. The woman who gave me the tour began crying talking about how upset Kahn would have been over the installation of railings on the stairs in the building. Learning about the architecture of the Kimbell gave me a new appreciation for architecture. Previously, I had ignored most of the architectural elements of the Kimbell.

Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, the Kimbell Art Museum had a significant influence on me. On the weekends, my parents would take us to the many museums in Fort Worth, one of them being the Kimbell Art Museum. Sometimes, my grandparents would drive over from Dallas to join us. In addition to hosting our family time, the Kimbell hosted my exposure to some of the world’s greatest artists. The permanent collection at the Kimbell features work by Matisse, Picasso, and Miró, amongst many other world renowned artists. Strolling through the permanent collection at the Kimbell as well as other impressive exhibits sparked my interest in art. I feel so lucky to have access to such an impressive collection of art, in an equally beautiful building designed by Louis Kahn.