Trenton Bath House as Louis I. Kahn's Design Journey

Trenton Bath House, that opened in 1955, is located in Ewing Township, Trenton, New Jersey. An important work in the career of Louis I. Kahn, for Kahn, this design was a turning point in his design, as quoted in a 1970 New York Times interview "I found myself after designing a small concrete block bathhouse in Trenton". In this design, Kahn first came up with his idea of "serving space" and "serving space", because usually space only "serves". The concept of this Trenton Bath House is a layout in which hollow columns supporting the pyramid's roof distinguish the serving space from the served one.

Entrance, photo by Timothy Bell

Bath House is geometrically simple but has an elegant impression. The shape of a cross is built from ordinary building materials, such as unadorned cinder blocks, concrete, wood, and asphalt tiles. Focus on maximizing natural light and new ways to connect space. In this building, Khan tried To reflect on the four square concrete block rooms with pyramid roofs, the subtle combination of space, shape, and light found here. Kahn sees inside it is a generative force characteristic of every building that has been worked on since then.

Atrium Hall, photo by Timothy Bell

Kahn arranges buildings with outdoor spaces with each other with strong relationships with different roles. The seemingly pyramid-roofed room hovered a few meters above the wall, using steel reinforcement mounted on square pillars in the corners of each space. Making sunlight come in from the side through the gaps above the side walls and from the top of the skylights at the top of each roof. In addition, it also allows the natural circulation of living to be freely changed. This design makes the impression of an open room with no barriers but still provides a sense of security, comfort, and privacy.

Atrium Hall, photo by Timothy Bell

The ornaments at the main entrance are decorated with murals that combine angular and circular shapes similar to the wave imagery found on the mosaic floor of the ancient Roman site, the Baths of Caracalla.

Louis I. Kahn Collection, University of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

In the design of this Bath House, there are four rooms. Namely, the entrance is the basket room, two dressing rooms, the middle atrium, and an open terrace leading to an elevated pool.

A. Burian, Mills + Arsitek Schnoering, LLC plan

The building was inaugurated in 1955 and has been renovated by Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects. The renovation was carried out to preserve the historic building designed by Kahn. This renovation is focused on restoring this building to the original design that Kahn wanted by restoring the part of the wall that began to be fragile due to age and natural conditions, restoring the painting on the entrance wall, reconditioning the gate according to the original design, rearranging the snack bar section according to the original design, and rearranging the center of the atrium.