Anne Tyng
Encyclopedia
Anne Griswold Tyng is an architect
and professor. She is best known for collaborating with Louis I. Kahn at his practice in Philadelphia. She served as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania
for 27 years, following 29 years of collaboration with Kahn. She is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects
, and Academician of the National Academy of Design
.
for further investigation into this field. Tyng received her B. Arch from Harvard, and her Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania
.
, where their daughter, Alexandra, was born, Kahn wrote weekly to Tyng.
Aged 82, Anne Tyng appeared in Nathaniel Kahn
's documentary My Architect
discussing her insights into his work and her experience with Louis Kahn. Dr. Tyng returns to the building in which Kahn and Tyng first collaborated, the Trenton Bath House
, for the first time since its completion, finding it neglected and in disrepair.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and professor. She is best known for collaborating with Louis I. Kahn at his practice in Philadelphia. She served as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
for 27 years, following 29 years of collaboration with Kahn. She is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
, and Academician of the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
.
Work
Tyng is a theorist known for her pioneering work in space frame architecture and her passion for mathematics. Her Ph.D. thesis, titled Simultaneousness, Randomness and Order, continues the combination of these interests. She received a number of grants from the Graham FoundationGraham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, based in Chicago, supports the arts, architecture, and institutions through public programs, and grants for projects....
for further investigation into this field. Tyng received her B. Arch from Harvard, and her Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Youth
Even as a young woman, Tyng showed her developed sense of mathematics and design. The Tyng Toy, a construction set for children, illustrated her mastery of form. The Tyng Toy allowed a small selection of pieces to be combined into a wide variety of toys and pieces of furniture, ranging from a stool to a rocking horse.Kahn connection
Many wonder at how her intimate relationship with Kahn affected his architecture. She is named in many sources as his partner and muse. For example, the concept for Kahn's famous "City Tower" design was largely Tyng's invention. After a seven-year relationship with Kahn, Tyng departed in the Autumn of 1953 for Rome. During her year in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where their daughter, Alexandra, was born, Kahn wrote weekly to Tyng.
Aged 82, Anne Tyng appeared in Nathaniel Kahn
Nathaniel Kahn
Nathaniel Kahn is an American filmmaker. His documentaries My Architect — about his father, the famous architect Louis Kahn — and Two Hands were nominated for Academy Awards....
's documentary My Architect
My Architect
My Architect: A Son's Journey is a 2003 documentary film about the American architect Louis Kahn. Kahn led an extraordinary career and left three families behind when he died of a heart attack in a Penn Station bathroom....
discussing her insights into his work and her experience with Louis Kahn. Dr. Tyng returns to the building in which Kahn and Tyng first collaborated, the Trenton Bath House
Trenton Bath House
The Trenton Bath House is a pivotal, influential design by the architect Louis Kahn at 999 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing, New Jersey. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984....
, for the first time since its completion, finding it neglected and in disrepair.