Exploring Louis Kahn's LOST Unbuilt Masterpiece [Goldenberg House]

The Goldenberg House was designed in 1959 by the architect Louis Kahn for Morgan and Mitzi Goldenberg. While the house was never constructed, it was cited by Kahn as holding important lessons for his design process that would be deployed in a number of later structures. These lessons are specifically related to how the outside of the house is irregular while the heart of it, the atrium is a perfect square. While we can see this discovery in the plan drawing for the house, there are likely nuances to its design that are more difficult to understand without being able to visit it in person. But, what if we can visit the Goldenberg House as if it had been built? This video explores the Goldenberg House, its history and design intentions, and uses the findings to construct a digital model of the house to explore in real-time.
Link for exploring the Goldenberg House: api2.enscape3d.com/v1/view/f3...
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:45 Timeline
03:38 Analysis
07:33 Digital Reconstruction
09:01 Walkthrough
11:30 Takeaways
Architecture with Stewart is a KZbin journey exploring architecture’s deep and enduring stories in all their bewildering glory. Weekly videos and occasional live events breakdown a wide range of topics related to the built environment in order to increase their general understanding and advocate their importance in shaping the world we inhabit.
Stewart Hicks is an architectural design educator that leads studios and lecture courses as an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also serves as an Associate Dean in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts and is the co-founder of the practice Design With Company. His work has earned awards such as the Architecture Record Design Vanguard Award or the Young Architect’s Forum Award and has been featured in exhibitions such as the Chicago Architecture Biennial and Design Miami, as well as at the V&A Museum and Tate Modern in London. His writings can be found in the co-authored book Misguided Tactics for Propriety Calibration, published with the Graham Foundation, as well as essays in MONU magazine, the AIA Journal Manifest, Log, bracket, and the guest-edited issue of MAS Context on the topic of character architecture.
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FOLLOW me on instagram: @stewart_hicks & @designwithco
Design With Company: designwith.co
University of Illinois at Chicago School of Architecture: arch.uic.edu/

[@stewarthicks]

What are your thoughts of the Goldenberg House? Are there any other unbuilt or demolished buildings you would like seen modeled and explored?

[@SaiSantoshMARU]

I wonder why was it never built.

[@DirtyDdddddddddddddd]

Think you’d do a great job on Terragni’s Danteum

[@christopherstephenjenksbsg4944]

It looks like it would have been a wonderful building. Just about every one of Kahn's buildings are masterpieces (at least the ones I know of). It would be interesting to see it furnished and functioning as a residence.

[@stepchildofsoul]

Hi, I just want to ask what you think of Bart Prince's work?

[@therickestrick9951]

I'm a big fan of Louis kahn. However, this house is god-awful

[@gavranarh]

Stewart you are a treasure, this is becoming my favorite channel

[@stewarthicks]

That is very kind of you! I appreciate the support.

[@moonshineweld]

I wish there was more content like this. Didn't expect the Enscape walkthrough.

[@AdolphusOfBlood]

Modernist on the outside, roman at it's heart. Always did love roman central courtyard plans with roofs that are meant to capture rain water. They are lovely.

[@DillonTDavis]

Oh man, Kahn’s work exists on a whole other level. Each one is like some incredible ancient artifact from the future. Would love to see more video essays about him on here.

[@a7maw_747]

That's it this is my future home, thanks for the suggestion

[@phamthanhtung6921]

You are slowly becoming my favourite architect channel. Keep up the good works!

[@andrewpalmer6167]

I love your love and knowledge of Louis Kahn's work and your generosity in sharing it.

[@alexandrianautocruiser8024]

It started with one video, and now I keep watching your content! Absolutely monumental work and effort! Love your stuff, man!

[@stewarthicks]

Thank you!!

[@alexandrianautocruiser8024]

@@stewarthicks You are very welcome! I am a student Interior architecture and design! But I am a great fan of architecture as a whole. So, your content is enriching my knowledge.

[@stydras3380]

I agree. The outside looks like it hasn't found its final shape yet, while the inside is much more "conceivable". I especially enjoy the windowed center of the building, it makes the appearence much more spacious than the "U". Also thanks for providing the 3d models, it is very interesting to walk through the buildings and try to see what is shown in the video! Have you considered collecting all of those models somewhere into one big "exhibition"? For example you could open up a community discord and dedicate a channel to just these models. Would also make for a great place to talk about the contents of the channel :)

[@Xavyer13]

These archeological videos of Unbuilt or Lost Architecture are great insights into jewels that may be lesser known. Hope to see more, these are great

[@ArkCullberg]

Fascinating! Impressive reconstruction of the house. Thanks for a better understanding of Louis Kahn - mastermind in architecture. Having always been inspirerad by his different projects since my architectural studies in Sweden 68-74. Extremely impressed and inspirerad by his SALK Institute. Looking forward to more analysies of The architecture of Louis Kahn.

[@walterzielinski6654]

I coming into this conversation a bit late, but yes, I'm fascinated by unbuilt designs and would appreciate they're being created with 3D modeling whenever you have the time. Stewart, for architecture and urban design aficionados like me, your vlog is absolutely the best. Many thanks for doing it.

[@charpnatl]

We live in a house with a central atrium and at times i hate it other times I love it. The Goldenberg house model was really cool, I felt as if I’d actually been in this nonexistent space before based on my experiences with our current home.

[@sylvainpare7480]

Love your videos so much, we’re lucky to have you! Not a criticism but an invitation: don’t hesitate to show us every details of your walk through the building, you’ve work so hard on the recreation of the buildings and we can take it! I could listen and watch to hours of your fantastic content! Thanks again :)

[@GraceMusyoka]

I love the way you explore houses. Love it.

[@PHlophe]

Stew you are killing it with research skills and references.

[@andyiswonderful]

Your videos are so interesting and entertaining. You are wonderfully articulate and erudite.

[@charlesbeloved7951]

Omg love your channel. 3D film of the architecture is so sharp and the lighting design is excellent.

[@alaskanuni]

I feel like there is something to be said for a house that shows it's organization from the outside. I find building more approachable when I can understand them externally as well as internally.

[@stewarthicks]

I agree.

[@willispember8675]

FYI, Paul Cret's last name is pronounced 'cray' as in a French pronunciation. Venturi was in Kahn's office at the time Goldenberg House was designed and is likely responsible for the asymmetry of the exterior. Even as a youngster Venturi taught Kahn much about mannerism, history and topics beyond international style modernism. ( I worked in Venturi's office and these topics were routinely discussed.) Please reference Complexity and Contradiction pg. 51 for a discussion of diagonals, including the Goldenberg House. Nice model!

[@stewarthicks]

Thanks for the info!

[@phillyarchdad]

While we’re at it, the initial constant in “Giurgola” is pronounced as if it were a ‘j’. Romaldo Giurgola was Italian, so think Gianni.👍

[@stewarthicks]

@@phillyarchdad That makes way more sense. Thanks!

[@willispember8675]

@@stewarthicks my pleasure!

[@merajpyare8660]

This channel is so underrated man,love the content

[@ABDULMAJEED-ev5ug]

Absolutely amazing.

[@lisakilmer2667]

That was an interesting walk through. I wonder if you could color the walls and floors with different colors to emulate actual houses? I think the Goldenberg house would have been very aesthetically pleasing from the resident's perspective. But it might well have been uncomfortable in that era: without really good thermal glass the courtyard might have either heated or chilled the house excessively. And I think that cutting out the corners feels like being clever just for the sake of being clever. Triangular/partially triangular rooms are often hard to live in.

[@Bonserak23]

I would sacrifice bed placement to live in that house lol. The courtyard would present some interesting heat gain and lose variables.

[@antonlushankin9568]

Please, explore some of Eisenman's early unrealized projects! It would be amazing to see the effects they produce, when entering them, as well as your analysis. Dude had (and actually still has) some of craziest ideas back in the days. Bachelor of Science in Architecture myself (hello from Berlin) and planing to studying Master this year. Your channel is an amazing piece of entertainment and and source of knowledge! Something that already exists for music theory, films, art etc., but lacks for architecture. Wish you luck and hope you'll grew a bigger audince soon. You deserve so much more appreciation und attention for this!

[@DnSSnDDnS]

Thank you for this great job !

[@0ctopusRex]

I have no idea to what degree this was intended, but this is a truly beautiful fusion of modernism and the classic Roman domus italica. All that's missing are a few concrete columns arranged in the backyard as an abstract peristyle garden. To me, the opaque, messy, confused exterior is exactly what makes the transparent, clean, orderly interior so unexpected. It achieves a startling first view when entering the home, and that really is something great for a modest-sized home to hang its hat on.

[@charleskingsadler]

Excellent as always, thank you! Some of the exterior facades and roof lines remind me of Kahn’s Rochester Unitarian Church.

[@RB-pi9ls]

A fantastic reconstruction! Riveting.

[@sheldoncurley5949]

Love seeing markers and vellum… takes me back to pre PC days at design school

[@jinye6278]

I love this kind of contents that dig out the forgiven but more than valuable legacies which have always been a norm in history of architecture. It really inspires me to start up my own KZbin channel about architectural thoughts. 😂

[@alexandersibilio7436]

I'm no expert but I see a resemblance of P. Mondrian's art in all the different views. I can also imagine it fully furnished with that slick design from the 50s furnitures By the way your videos are just perfects!!!

[@ianthomas465]

Thank you so much for your videos. I love modern architecture and I am currently in considerations for a new house. You give great inspirations to me with your very clear analysis on the famous architects of the 20th century. Thumbs up for your amazing work. PS: I like the Goldenberg house for the open design to the inner patio. I am a person who needs daylight and the Goldenberg house provides it to every room

[@FahadKhan-yh5xt]

Please keep doing these types of content.

[@alexandruciubotaru3769]

Excellent research!

[@nobelstone9714]

I've been in awe of Kahn's work for decades. Thank you for showing me a Kahn design that I had only looked at trivially before. It would have been another masterpiece. Let me mention another Kahn unbuilt work that I believe would have ranked at the top of his designs, the second version of the Memorial to Six Million Jews. Building such a memorial, like the Vietnam Memorial is an almost impossible task and both of these worked in spite of the seeming triviality of memorializing the unthinkable. I'm probably biased but I think if I have to rank the two designs(which is really irrelevant given how great both are) I'd put Kahn's work first.

[@Brian-os9qj]

You do great work on these

[@alditory6621]

That internal experience is amazing

[@solomoncohen5082]

Excellent analysis! Super interesting to see, especially knowing how his most celebrated works were configured later in his career. Is there a story about why it didn't end up getting built? Did the roof come back over budget? Did the clients get cold feet about the whole thing? Would LOVE to see one of these about the unbuilt Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem

[@rileychristensen3824]

incredible work

[@stewarthicks]

Thank you!

[@computationdesign]

Thank you so much

[@dagwould]

I've just started watching, and want to comment on the 'served' 'servant' spaces concept. This was one of the first architectural concepts introduced in my degree in the 70s. But I must say, Kahn's deeply thought out sophisticated conceptualisation was taught with the banality of a serving of McDonalds fries. There's so much richness in Kahn and others in the later Modern Movement that provide great resources for teaching the craft of architecture. I hope people studying now are introduced to their world. The ABCBA pattern is a chiasmus.

[@stevevice9863]

Paul Philippe Cret's last name is pronounced "CRAY"....(he is French). The firm of Harbison Hough Livingston and Larson grew out of Cret's firm. I worked there in the 80's and the name had been shortened to H2L2...still in business for over 100 years. We had a sketch that Kahn had done for a tollbooth, I think for a bridge, when he was working with Cret. We also had Cret's portfolio of charcoal sketches...beautiful work! Paul Cret was quite a gifted Architect. He won the competition for the American cemetary at Normandy beach. Also did the Folger Shakespeare Library in D.C., Federal Reserve building in D.C., Main building and tower and the master plan for the University of Texas at Austin, Indianapolis Public Library, and many bridges all over the country. He evolved out of the Beaux Arts style and developed a clean classically influnced modern architecture that was a precurser to Art Moderne, also influenced the "Fascist" architects of Europe and especially Albert Speer. This is unfortunate since this school of Architecture will forever be associated with the Nazi movement. Cret's later buildings are quite modern in detail, but also have the gravitas of Classical Architecture. I would like to think that Kahn was influenced by Cret's classical training. When you look at the monumentality and symetrical composition of so many of Kahn's byuildings there seems to be a recognition of classical principals. Romaldo Girgola's name has the accent on the first syllable, (GIR-go-la)...sorry for being so nit picky.

[@urielalbertosanchezm]

Wow!, Is really nice inside!

[@christopherstephenjenksbsg4944]

I am struck by how Kahn's design is very axial in organization, but also how he deflects from the central axis in the movement through the building, using such devices as the off-center entrance and the massive chimney right on the axis. It reminds me of Edwin Lutyens' houses, where classical expectations are constantly thwarted because the central axis is blocked in one way or another. The visitor is constantly forced to move to one side or the other. With Lutyens it makes some of his buildings "feel" much larger than they are, and it looks like the effect would be much the same with the Goldenberg House. I remember Kahn's death, as I lived in NYC in 1974. It made the papers because his body remained undiscovered in that toilet stall in Penn Station for so long. It was presented as a sign of the decay of the city, which was close to its nadir of livability at the time.

[@stewarthicks]

Wow, thanks for sharing your thoughts...

[@opallise2605]

Awesome video!

[@wadeguidry6675]

I like how the passageways serve as a framework for views of rectangles that remind me of a Mondrian painting if it were in shades of white and grey.

[@MenschenImHaus]

I randomly stumbled upon this channel. Job well done! Would you consider making a 3d recreation of other famous unbuilt buildings, for example Loos' design for Josephine Baker? Greetings from ETH in Switzerland

[@sheldoncurley5949]

Awesome!! Make more

[@carlosbisiach3998]

Amazing work! I´d like to see the Hurva Synagogue as well!

[@stewarthicks]

Good one!

[@cheyneowens5528]

👏👏👏 this was fantastic.

[@stewarthicks]

Thank you!! 😁

[@kevcal7]

It's so peaceful at the Salk Institute. I had a friend who worked in the Richards Lab and hated working in the space.

[@afrancolaura]

I made such similar drawings for Lina bo bardi's glass house. I would love to see some exploration of her architecture.

[@imadasmone8915]

Superb...

[@stewarthicks]

Thanks 🤗

[@abramoo]

Thanks

[@ashen_dawn]

I'm really loving this series of explorations of demolished or unbuilt designs - I do wonder if it would be possible to import these models into a vr game engine to get a better sense of scale though. I'm not entirely sure how big or how small the rooms actually are until it's more clear how high my view would be off the ground.

[@peterbrook329]

I am intriguing by the Goldenberg house, I think with furnishings and color here and there, it would be more cohesive.

[@Brian-bp5pe]

Hello Stewart, I just subscribed to your channel. The Goldenberg House is certainly an unusual configuration, I think the final word on its design and livability would would hinge upon the finishes that might have been chosen by the architect and the homeowner. This is a very personal aspect of design and my feeling on that is essentially, "to each his own". I know what my approach would be, but that isn't to suggest my approach would be "the best". Others' could be equally valid and better.

[@hmoudal-amiri273]

As always, great video. Interesting subject with clear narrative and beautiful visuals. I especially loved the walk through part. May I ask how you recorded it? Is it another software or do you still do it in rhino?

[@stewarthicks]

It's Enscape and I screen record the walkthrough in OBS.

[@raphlvlogs271]

such a building style will also make a great filming studio as well.

[@HarshPatel-qq4sm]

Can you do a video on Morris house by Louis Kahn which was also left unbuilt.

[@konstantinmaksimov4232]

a building created by the interior. very rare example!

[@DAngeleski]

Can you please add more info on philadelphia corner, concept?

[@10limak]

Btw: As I understand irony on "masterclass" series, I believe overuse of F. Gehry as a "star architect" figure is unfair. In fact he is humble in his practice and straightforward about his work + he certainly made several great designs and innovations in both architectural aesthetics and technology.

[@Nandoju2000]

ta bien mano me ayudaste en mi tarea de introducción a la arquitectura

[@Bonserak23]

Ohhh man, yeah from the floor plan sketch I thought it was goanna be a lot bigger and a little intimidating when entering but it was the opposite it's almost as if the building wraps around you and invites you to come further in.

[@pedroroquedomingues2634]

I really enjoyed this video. However, the walk through link does not seem to be working...

[@swoondrones]

Did you show Australia Parliament House in Canberra!? I deaign buildings where the corners are glass, with the 'wall' in the middle. Then there are no dark corners. All I do is about outside|inside, a 2nd skin. Lots of glass.

[@latneyb]

What is the song we hear when he begins tracing the floorplan?

[@LDVTennis]

Unbuilt buildings to explore: Kahn's Adath Jeshurun Synogogue (the plan with the main floor perched on the service towers) and Zumthor's "Topography of Terror" Museum...

[@stewarthicks]

Great ones!

[@leverett7069]

Awesome as always. By the way, who's the guy on your channel's thumbnail?

[@stewarthicks]

I should update the picture! The mustache is now a part of me...

[@leverett7069]

@@stewarthicks it's growing on you. No pun intended...

[@10limak]

I would be delighted to know your thoughts of Rem Koolhaas design philosophy and practice. As you are based in Illinois there is one of his most known works on IIT Campus (Mies vdR campus worth an analysis anyway) - maybe you would bekeen to analyse this McCormick CCenter ? His buildings are full of planned 'arte povera'-style juxtapositions, and give quite conflicting emotions - wonder what would be your academic and personal take on it.

[@stewarthicks]

I'll definitely do a visit of that building sometime soon. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@gingerprince2062]

amazed. what software used for the walkthrough?

[@stewarthicks]

Enscape.

[@ObscenumLoL]

This video was 99% perfect, the only thing I would change was using and hdri in the walkthrough (not just the lighting data, but some kind of image, even low res). Looking through a window into a white void is kinda weird and harsh on the eyes. But great video anyways (as always).

[@SamuelHauptmannvanDam]

Question: How important would you say halls are? I feel like they are a failure of design in most normal houses. I get that they are an experience if large enough, but that most houses and lives doesn't have use for them. Or what's the argument for them, other than isolating from the outside cold when people enter.

[@SentinalhMC]

I can't figure out how water would drain off the roof when it rains. Also is there a room missing in your Enscape walk through? Your drawing shows a rectangular room in the bottom left of the kitchen but there is no door where it shows there should be and is that a staircase at the top of the kitchen? Was there going to be a basement in this house?

[@taschenticher1]

I really love the layout and feel on the inside. But the outside seems pretty strange and not really as inviting or refined.

[@PatriceBoivin]

Having that courtyard in the middle reminds me of Roman homes. (I am not an architect by any means)

[@adityabhadoria01]

can you do a video of university campus design? @Stewart Hicks

[@stewarthicks]

Funny you should mention. I just filmed a tour of the UIC campus for Docomomo yesterday. What campus did you have in mind?

[@adityabhadoria01]

@@stewarthicks well I was thinking of Illinois institute of technology 😂

[@LDVTennis]

That might be interesting, even just a video on dorms by famous architects (e.g., Saarinen's Morse/Stiles residential colleges).

[@Moo0Na]

So basically the goldenberg house is a copy of my grandfathers house and every old Indian house design. It is mostly utilitarian for Joint family systems with farming and animal husbandry practices. Based Indian astrology and architecture and Vastu shastra.

[@sidthemyth]

what s with the weird prison in the enscape render?

[@christophercasey7388]

So, how does water drainage off the roof work? It looks like the courtyard would flood every time there isa hard rain.

[@celtic-charlesmartel1660]

Louis Khan a apporté une vision différente et remis en question le style international de Mies VD Rohe. Cela était nécessaire. Ceci dit le projet de villa est intéressant mais les maisons à patio coûtent cher et leur esthétique souvent décevante. Je remercie votre initiative, même si je n’aime pas trop l’aspect de cette maison. Je préfère Esherick house ou Salk institute et Yale library où English art museum (?)

[@garrywallace1007]

Wonder about the wisdom of building huge skylight- then putting a (sooty) chimney across half of it! As you said a small house, that seems to be an endless rabbit warren of coridoors...

[@lestermatos2989]

Where can I get the drawings to build the model myself ? Is it Rhino?

[@marcboxerman291]

The exterior does look confusing especially given the compactness of the design. In the interior I see glimpses of the also unbuilt Hurea synagogue, most notably in the diagonal rooflines and how sunlight enters the interior through the skylights and central courtyard.

[@marcboxerman291]

Hurva (darn autocorrect)

[@e46Kyle]

I enjoy everything about your videos; the research, the timelines, the modelling, even your dreamy VO delivery. I could binge all day. But what drives me nuts are all the flickering light effects and glitchy edits. They're just not necessary and make it difficult to take in the amazing visuals you're sharing. Hope you don't mind the unsolicited crit. Keep it minimal, baby!

[@stewarthicks]

I've definitely toned it down recently. It's a learning process. Thanks for the feedback.

[@alissagabriel805]

I'm totally going to build this if I ever win the lottery.

[@walterbordett2023]

I suspect if this had been built it would have been challenging to furnish and a nightmare to maintain . This was a commissioned design that the client did not build. Could they not afford to build it, or did they hate it and built something else? Frank Lloyd Wright had quite a lot of unbuilt designs. Given his personality and desire to control how clients lived and used his buildings, one should not be surprised.

[@roshanewheatle1272]

i am an architectire student and have this project as an assignment but i can not find the dimensions for this house anywhere can you help please ?

[@parthasawa7538]

Measurements of the building???

[@davemclellan6895]

Presumably the Goldenberg House was never drawn in full working detail but was presented to the client as a series of preliminary drawings. Did the Goldenbergs not understand the masterpiece they had been presented with? What they built 4 years later on their 0.6 acre lot was conventional and uninspired. I have to wonder if Louis Kahn used what he presented as a test to weed out a client who was not up to the task. The Goldenbergs failed his test. Louis Kahn’s design deserves more than a 0.6 acre site if it is to be appreciated first at a distance and not overpowered by plantings or nearby conventional houses.

[@md.rakibulislam3949]

Sir, can you provide the rhino file, please.

[@larrysorenson4789]

I must imagine that there are connoisseurs of architecture who would underwrite the construction of some unbuilt or demolished masterworks. How do you feel about that eventuality?

[@ArkMaDuke]

I was here

[@CP-od4wn]

Stewart, do you regularly use a bathroom with an eastern facing window? I think I know why your mustache is uneven. You use natural light when you are shaving and the shadow of the mustache in the early morning makes you think you're shaving a perfect mustache, but it's off in a very consistent way that I have to wonder about. Why is it always slightly heavier on one side? It's a mystery! I demand answers because it's 100 percent a question about design and architecture if the cause is morning light related. Thanks for making these videos.

[@saccharinesilk]

idk if you'd wanna build and explore it, because it's a bit much, but i've been really digging Otto Schmalz's "Design for a Princely Summer Residence", 1886, which you can see a lot of engravings for in the collections at architekturmuseum.ub.tu-berlin.de/ (google chrome and it's built in page translation recommended, just search otto schmalz and you should find them)

[@stewarthicks]

That's awesome. I'm not sure we could model it, but very cool!

[@gomou2936]

How about the fisher house?

[@gomou2936]

I think it has interesting elements that are not as characteristic of khan

[@marianopeluso]

the model is no longer viewable?😭

[@larrysorenson4789]

I must imagine that there are coniseures