Yale Center for British Art

Louis Kahn – street New Haven, Conneticut, USA, 1953-1974

The Yale Center for British Art at Yale University, in downtown New Haven, Connecticut, is home to the largest and most comprehensive collection of British art outside the UK. The collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, rare books and manuscripts reflects the development of British art and culture from the Elizabethan period onwards.
The exterior is made of matt steel and reflective glass; the interior is in travertine, white oak and Belgian linen. Kahn has managed to create intimate galleries in which it is possible to observe objects in diffused natural light. Kahn wanted as much daylight as possible, with artificial lighting used only on dark days or evenings. The organized design, the materials and the rooms light up from the sky combine to provide an environment for works of art that is simple and dignified.