The Architecture of the Yale Center for British Art

The Yale Center for British Art stands as the final masterpiece of the great twentieth-century American architect, Louis I. Kahn (1901-1974). The building received the 2005 American Institute of Architects Twenty-Five Year Award honoring "significant architectural landmarks... that have withstood the test of time." With perfect proportions, clear articulation of structure, and sensitively matched natural materials, the Center projects an aura of classical serenity. Paul Mellon's superb collection and other works of British art look splendid in the luminous interiors, bathed in controlled amounts of natural or incandescent light amidst the muted tones of oak and linen, travertine, and concrete that discreetly and appropriately allow art to be the focus of attention.
This handsome volume, originally published for the Center's grand opening in 1977, is a timely reminder of the Center's architectural distinction. Contemporaneous photographs and an enlightening essay by Jules David Prown provide an account of the architecture, design, and circumstances of its commission and building. A new foreword by its current director, Amy Meyers, brings the celebration of the Center into the present day.