Louis Kahn’s final built work, the Yale Center for British Art (YCBA), has reopened following a major skylight restoration led by New Haven–based Knight Architecture. The project focused on repairing and upgrading one of the building’s most defining features, its layered skylight system designed to manage daylight across the galleries. Originally conceived to protect and illuminate the museum’s collection through controlled natural light, the system remains essential to the building’s spatial and environmental function.
Completed after Kahn’s death in 1974, the YCBA reflects his late-career interest in geometric order, material precision, and indirect illumination. The recent restoration addressed material aging, reproduced custom light-filtering components, and reinforced the envelope while preserving the original architectural intent.
A Building Shaped by Light
Kahn’s design for the Yale Center for British Art follows a 20-by-20-foot modular grid of cast-in-place concrete bays. These define both the load-bearing system and internal layout across the four floors. Each bay supports a cluster of four skylights, resulting in a total of 224 rooftop openings. This arrangement organizes the spatial rhythm and serves as the primary method of introducing daylight into the galleries.
Natural light plays a central role in the museum’s operational and architectural logic. Instead of direct sunlight or reliance on artificial lighting, Kahn developed a layered skylight system with lighting designer Richard Kelly. The original system comprised:
- Aluminum louvers above the roof openings, oriented to reflect northern light
- Thermoplastic domes, enclosing the skylight assemblies and shielding them from weather
- Laylight cassettes, made of stacked prismatic acrylic sheets that disperse light evenly
This system provided diffuse, ambient light while reducing risks to light-sensitive artworks.
Signs of Material Wear
After five decades of use, the skylight components began showing signs of degradation. The thermoplastic domes had discolored and developed surface cracks, lowering clarity and raising questions about future performance. Though still sealed against water, the components were no longer functioning at their original level, prompting Yale University to initiate restoration.
Knight Architecture was appointed to evaluate and manage the skylight and roof replacement. The firm, experienced in preservation work, coordinated a multidisciplinary team to replace outdated materials while maintaining alignment with the building’s original configuration.
Restoration and Key Interventions
The restoration involved several targeted upgrades designed to extend the lifespan of the skylight system without altering its design. These included:
- Dome replacement: Acrylic skylight domes were substituted with polycarbonate models. These retained the original size and shape but offered greater resistance to UV exposure and longer durability.
- Roof membrane: A liquid-applied membrane was added across the roof to improve waterproofing and protect the concrete substrate.
- Cassette reconstruction: Custom acrylic light-diffusing cassettes were recreated with the help of fabricator Modern Plastics. The layered format and performance of the originals were matched closely.
One functional change was made: a reflective film was inserted into the new cassettes to reduce overall light transmission. This modification responds to current conservation needs without impacting the gallery experience.
Integrated Architectural Systems
The skylight grid is fully coordinated with the building’s mechanical systems. The flat roof is supported by V-shaped concrete beams, which house ductwork and other building services. This allows ceilings to remain uninterrupted and emphasizes the structural order of the space.
The geometry of the skylight grid is reflected in the internal layout of the concrete bays below. This repetition helps guide movement and defines viewing conditions across the galleries. The even light distribution supports the museum’s curatorial functions while preserving Kahn’s spatial logic.
Central Stairwell and Roof Light
A distinct architectural feature at the center of the building is a cylindrical concrete stairwell that rises through all levels. At its uppermost point, it receives daylight through a layered system: louver, dome, cassette, and finally a set of glass blocks embedded in the roof slab.
This final layer bends and scatters the light, casting shifting reflections on the stairwell’s curved interior. Though not physically modified during the project, the stairwell benefits from improved clarity due to the new skylight materials. The result is a more consistent and even quality of light.
Coordinated Project Team
The restoration involved specialists from multiple disciplines. Each contributed to maintaining the original design intent while updating key systems for long-term reliability:
- Envelope and Structural Consultant: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates
- Lighting Design and Restoration: EwingCole, Lighting Services, New Grand Light
- Cassette Fabrication: Modern Plastics
- Conservation Review: Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage
- Roof and Skylight Contractors: Turner Construction Company, Eagle River Roofing
- Interior Finish Restoration: OFS Corporation, Whitehawk Construction Services
- Flooring: M. Frank Higgins & Co., Bentley Mills
The project was executed with the objective of extending the function of the original system, improving material resilience, and retaining the building’s intended performance.
Reopened and Operational
Now reopened to the public, the Yale Center for British Art once again functions as Kahn envisioned, a museum lit by daylight, structured by geometry, and defined by material clarity. The skylight restoration did not change the way the building looks but restored how it works.
Visitors may not immediately notice the new skylight components, but they will experience the effects: more consistent light levels, improved clarity, and greater preservation reliability. The project demonstrates that architectural preservation, when executed with technical precision and respect for original design, can extend a building’s life without altering its identity.
Image source- archpaper.com
