Resumen de Past and Present in the Geometry of Dhaka Parliament by Louis Kahn
The present paper analyses some aspects of the use of geometric forms in Louis Khan architecture, chosen because of his way of integrating rigor with poetic spatial conception. We studied Kahn’s last work, the National Assembly building of Dhaka (Bangladesh, from 1962), through its reconstruction with drawings and 3D model. We compared it with his own previous works, in order to find the origin of the geometry of the plan, at first sight only linked to squares but articulated also by the use of regular octagon, as originated by two rotated squares, recognizable in the Assembly room and in its umbrella vault. We also applied geometric analysis to verify its possible connections with antique monuments, such as Castel del Monte (Andria, Italy, 1240), and Islamic figurative culture, which provide a repertoire of forms capable to inspire contemporary architecture.
