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closeThursday, Aug. 28, 2008
Coolest Architecture
Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth
DFW.com
Louis Kahn's linked, parallel vaults made out of reinforced concrete has proven to be one of the most influential designs of the last hundred years.
Find it: 3333 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth; 817-332-8451; www.kimbellart.org
The back story: The greatest achievement by one of the 20th century's greatest architects, Louis Kahn, just happens to be located in Fort Worth, where it’s surrounded by world-class buildings by Tadao Ando and Philip Johnson. The design doesn't sound especially fancy — a series of linked, parallel vaults made out of reinforced concrete. But Kahn's masterly use of these materials— and particularly the way he uses diffusers in the ceilings to allow in natural light, without exposing the art to the harsh Texas elements — only seems more impressive each new time you step inside.
While you're in the neighborhood: Walk across the street to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the first major commission in the United States for Japanese architect Tadao Ando; the glass, steel and brushed concrete design eloquently complements Kahn's building, but also stands apart as its own unique creation. The reflecting pond creates something of an urban oasis.
Best time to go: The Kimbell — indeed, the entirety of Fort Worth's museum district — is best appreciated on a quiet, warm and sunny afternoon, when the natural light gently filters into the building (and you also have time to stroll the museum's impressive grounds).
Honorable mentions: Dallas City Hall; International Terminal at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
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