The Residential Masterpieces series is a collection of architectural monographs published by A.D.A. Edita Tokyo (Global Architecture) that showcases and explores iconic modern and contemporary houses from around the world. The 33rd edition features Louise I. Khan's design in relation to two Philadelphia homes, Esherick House and Fisher House.
The architecture of Louis I. Kahn is synonymous with monumental civic buildings, cultural institutions and places of worship. His buildings possess rigorous order, yet from early in his career, the architect and urban planner designed houses that often share a common hierarchy with his larger works, regardless of size. These include the Margaret Esherick House (1959-1961), located in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, and situated in an enclave of modest modern houses. Not far off, in a suburb of Philadelphia, is the Fisher House (1960-1967). In a gesture to the region's vernacular architecture, it is clad in vertical strips of cypress set above a foundation of rough-cut stone.
