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Authors: Alberto Beltre and Stephen Behrens School: Temple University
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| Brief: The Margaret Esherick
House was built in 1960 from a design created by Louis I. Kahn for a single woman. The
house has a simplicity and openness to daylight that allows an abundant quantity and quality of natural daylight to enter into the house. The specific goal of the investigation was to study the natural light and ventilation within the building. This involved the gathering of quantitative data on the amount of light present in the various areas and individual rooms of the house. The investigators presumed the shutters that allowed for light and cross-ventilation presented infiltration problems. This was also quantitatively investigated. The students visited the house on three occasions. On the first visit they were able to observe the general siting relationships to the adjacent park and neighborhood. On the second and third visits they were able to visit the interior and discuss the characteristics and attributes of the house with the current owners. On visits to the Louis I. Kahn Archives, that are held at the University of Pennsylvania, copies of the original Contract Documents were acquired and many of the early sketches were viewed. Basic thermal characteristics of the building envelope were calculated as well as the physical dimensions. The owners were given a questionnaire, prepared by the students, to gather their observations; and the students discussed with the owners their feelings about the comforts of the house and areas of special enjoyment within it. |
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Background: Professor Harrington received a $5000 Vital Signs teaching grant for the spring 1996 term that helped support the student investigation. | |
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All contents copyright (C) 1998. Vital Signs Project. All rights reserved. Created: 11/23/98 |
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