Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Prayer Hall: preliminary version: elevation sketches
Louis I. Kahn
American, born Estonia. 1901–1974
1964
A charcoal sketch on tracing paper by Louis I. Kahn studying the elevation of a prayer hall for Dhaka’s national complex, where he tests vaulted volumes and light-filled space in section and elevation.
You notice a sculptural, bulbous base rising into a tall, hollow shaft—rendered with bold, smudged charcoal, dashed centerlines, and tiny human figures that instantly convey monumental scale.
The drawing captures Kahn’s rigorous process of translating geometry, light, and human scale into monumental civic and sacred architecture, a key contribution to modern architectural thinking in the mid-20th century.
Medium
Charcoal on tracing paper
Dimensions
18 x 15" (45.7 x 38.1 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of the architect
Accession
406.1967
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
