2008-2009 University Scholar Profile
David Alexander Yadkouri
Mentor: Karl
S. Thorne
College of Design, Construction & Planning
"I applied to the Scholars program to focus on research of Louis I. Kahn's unbuilt city of Philadelphia as well as the Capital Complex in Bangladesh, Kahn's two largest projects. I hope to learn from my mentor - Professor Karl S. Thorne, who was a student of Louis I. Kahn in 1970, as well from my research to gain insight into these two major works."
Courses of Study
Major
Architecture
Research Interests
Sustainable & Post-Disaster Housing, Emergency Responsive Architecture, The Architecture of Institutions of Man
Awards
- 2nd Place EcoHouse Student Design Competition, Witters Competition 2008
- National Residence Hall Honorary Student of the Month, SEC Regional Winner, May 2008
Volunteer Service / Organizations
- Keys Complex Governing Body
- President, 2008 American Institute of Architecture Students
- Social Director, 2008/2009 Asia Architecture Interest & Awareness Group
- National Organization of Minority Architecture Students
Hobbies/Activities
Watching and following baseball, traveling, photography and sketching
Research Description
Louis I. Kahn: Proposal for a City
The proposed research topic will be dealing with Louis I. Kahn and his unbuilt masterwork of the Philadelphia City Proposal for urban renewal and reevaluation of the city’s institutions. Kahn treated the urban design as a living organism dependent on its expression. Kahn’s goal was to block out interference so as to listen to the true voice of the city. His idea of street, of varying speed and intentions, as well as the pedestrian, car, bus and trolley each having its own nature and the way he thought of them all having their own place on the streets will draw particular interest in this research.
Kahn was to develop a hierarchical system of sorting traffic for the city of Philadelphia. This hierarchical order will also be discussed. His systems of streets and pedestrian environment, as well as his thought of the city as a simple settlement of assembled institutions are unique and particularly different from its time. I will explore the designs of Louis I. Kahn and his proposals for the city of Philadelphia, and why they were unbuilt.
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