The Charles Kahn Papers contains design proposals and drawings, course materials, journal articles, pamphlets, brochures, oral histories, and photographic negatives documenting work of Charles Kahn and his students as well as local architects, including Horacio Caminos, Matthew Nowicki, James Fitzgibbons, Eduardo Catalano, and George Matsumoto. Materials related to Buckminster Fuller and Charter Industries (Geodesic domes) are also included. Items in the collection are described using titles found on Kahn's original files.
Charles Howard Kahn was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. In 1952, he joined the faculty at North Carolina State University as an instructor in Civil Engineering. He was appointed Associate Professor of Design in 1959. Kahn remained at North Carolina State University until 1968, when he left for the University of Kansas. Kahn's research focused on thin-shell structures and membranes of long-span roofs for buildings. Notably, he designed North Carolina State University's Carter-Finley Stadium. The items included in this collection reflect Kahn's time at North Carolina State University. Kahn passed away at the age of 95 in 2021.
Charles Howard Kahn was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. He received a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1946, a Bachelors of Civil Engineering from North Carolina State College in 1948, and finally a M.S. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1949). In 1952 he joined the faculty at North Carolina State College as an instructor in Civil Engineering. He was appointed Associate Professor of Design in 1959. Kahn remained at North Carolina State University until 1968, when he left for the University of Kansas, where he became the first dean of the School of Architecture and Urban Design. He retired from academia in 1991 and returned to North Carolina. Kahn passed away at the age of 95 in 2021.
Kahn's research focused on thin-shell structures and membranes of long-span roofs for buildings. Notably, he designed North Carolina State University's Carter-Finley Stadium. His time at Kansas was marked by his own interest in social activism and the vision of architectural design as a problem-solving activity.
The Charles Kahn Papers (ca. 1950-1960) contain design proposals and drawings, course materials, journal articles, pamphlets, brochures, oral histories, and photographic negatives documenting the work of Kahn and his students as well as local architects, including Horacio Caminos, Matthew Nowicki, James Fitzgibbons, Eduardo Catalano, and George Matsumoto. Materials related to Buckminster Fuller are also included.
The collection is organized into four series:
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
The oral histoy cassettes (series four) have not been digitized. Access to many of these tapes can be found online at: http://ncmodernist.org/kahn-interviews.htm NC State does not claim copyright to these materials.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
[Identification of item], Charles Kahn Papers, MC 00149, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Gift of Charles H. Kahn, 2009 (Accession 2009.0136). Gift of North Carolina Modernist Houses, 2019 (Accession 2019.0300).
Processed by: Matisha Wiggs; machine-readable finding aid created by: Matisha Wiggs and Todd Kosmerick, July 2011. Additions by: Gwynn Thayer, December 2019.
This collection was processed with support from the Council on Library and Information Resources Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives program.
The collection is organized into four principal series:
These materials maintain original file names as assigned by Charles Kahn. They are arranged alphabetically.
Various notes, drawings, and other graphic materials related to the history and development of arches. Created by Charles Kahn for teaching purposes.
Large timelines charting construction trends.
Small strips of paper, all with text related to various specific structures or types of structures. Glue on the back of each piece. Held together in an envelope with Virginia Tech letterhead on the return address.
Various notes, drawings, and other graphic materials related to the history and development of slab construction. Created by Charles Kahn for teaching purposes.
Various notes, drawings, and other graphic materials related to the history and development of space frames. Created by Charles Kahn for teaching purposes. Includes a number of U.S. Patent Office documents submitted by Buckminster Fuller, John S. Adams, and R.B. Hartman.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Various notes, drawings, and other graphic materials related to the history and development of suspension systems. Created by Charles Kahn for teaching purposes.
Large graph showing the history of truss bridge development.
3 photographs
These materials do not represent original work by Kahn. They were possibly used as aids during educational lectures.
Grip-Kitrick Edition of Fuller Projection Map, designed by R. Buckminster Fuller.
After review, access to the digital copies may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request.
The Special Collections Research Center, NC State University Libraries, has digital copies of some or all of these materials.
Accompanying explanatory document for the Dymaxion Sky-Ocean World Map
Article by Buckminster Fuller from 1974 issue of Today's Education, highlighting the value of his new world map design.
These materials maintain original file names as assigned by Charles Kahn. They are arranged alphabetically.
Two sets of drawings by Edwin F. Harris. Set one: "Space Frame," 11 pages. Set two: "Shell Structures," 26 pages. Negative prints of original drawings.
Drawings
Report by Horacio Caminos and Charles Kahn detailing structures created for the Aluminum Company of America.
Report
Contact sheet of photographic negatives circa 1954 - 1956 showing Catalano House construction (Raleigh, NC) and North Carolina State University's Brooks Hall Addition #1 construction. The Catalano House was razed in 2001.
Four part biographical article about Matthew Nowicki from Architectural Record, June 1954.
Bound, 62-page book published by The Parsimonious Press, School of Architecture, Washington University, St. Louis, Mo. Book's contents consist of copies of notes, newspaper clippings, and text concerning the development of the East St. Louis (Mo.) Riverfront. R. Buckminster Fuller assisted with the development of this project.
Charles Kahn's students' papers and notes on bridges. Some labeled with students' names.
Ten loose notepages (some are NC State University School of Design letterhead) covered with hand-drawn sketches of bridges and other architectural features. These are possibly school notes. Sticky note on the front of the group reads "Horacio Caminos."
Exhibition guide for show at the Visual Arts Center at North Carolina State University, January 21 1993-March 21 1993.
Reading Room use only, copyright has not been transferred to NC State.
This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], Charles Kahn Papers, MC 00149, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
The oral histoy cassettes (series four) have not been digitized. Access to many of these tapes can be found online at: http://ncmodernist.org/kahn-interviews.htm NC State does not claim copyright to these materials.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.