Friends of the Trenton Bath House

Referring to the Trenton Jewish Community Center, Louis I. Kahn said, "I discovered myself after designing that little concrete block bathhouse in Trenton." While the small structure hasn't received as much recognition or attention as the architect's other buildings, such as the Kimbell Art Museum or Salk Institute, this quote illustrates that these later masterworks owe a lot to the ideas initially fleshed out in New Jersey.

To monitor the fate of the Bath House and later Day Camp by Kahn, the Friends of the Trenton Bath House was formed just this month, chaired by Susan G. Solomon. The organization's web page indicates that the "current owner...is planning to relocate to a new facility outside of Princeton. It is unknown who will purchase the property, which includes the Kahn buildings, and whether or not there will be a commitment to preservation."

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Membership is free and will help the organization raise attention to the buildings' "fragile conditions" and worthiness for preservation, as well as in finding an appropriate buyer.

Comments

  1. Was this project one featured in "My Architect"?

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  2. I do believe it's in that film. I recall a scene where the camera moved through one of the snaking entries into the bath house's center. It did not appear to be holding up well in the film.

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  3. I suggest if the building is not yet listed in the US DOCOMOMO, to contact them - that could help in preservation.

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  4. You can find more info on the bath house at
    http://home.mindspring.com/~kahnpage/bathhouse/id5.html

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