Tiger City presents Kahn’s architecture as both futuristic and ancient: monumental in scale, elemental in form, and deeply rooted in ideas of permanence, ritual and civic presence.
The film asks how an Estonian-born American architect, working from Philadelphia, came to design such an ambitious capital complex on the rice paddies of Bangladesh. In doing so, it explores the architectural leap from landscape to institution: how voids, walls, courtyards, water and carefully controlled daylight were used to create a place of ceremony, governance and collective meaning.
Through a fourteen-country journey, the documentary considers Kahn’s ability to draw together Eastern and Western architectural traditions without resorting to imitation. It shows how abstract modern forms can carry cultural memory, and how architecture can express civic ambition, national identity and the ideals of public life through space, material and light.
Architectural themes: Kahn’s work rejected historical pastiche and unnecessary ornament in favour of elemental geometry, massive walls, deep openings, bold asymmetry and the expressive use of natural light. Although informed by the Beaux-Arts tradition, with its emphasis on order, scale and permanence, Kahn transformed these principles into a modern architectural language of civic gravity. In Tiger City, architecture is presented not simply as a building, but as an instrument of democracy, identity and collective imagination.
This screening begins with a short introduction from the Liverpool Architectural Society, and is part of The Architecture of Monumentality series:
Tue 6 Oct, 18:15: Koyaanisqatsi (1982)
Tue 20 Oct, 18:15: Metropolis (1927)
Tue 3 Nov, 18:15: Louis Kahn's Tiger City (2019)
The Liverpool Architectural Society is the Merseyside branch of the Royal Institute of British Architects. It is one of the oldest architectural societies in the world, founded in 1848 with many past presidents being former staff and students at the Liverpool School of Architecture.
It welcomes participation from all people with an interest in their built environment and how their cities and towns are shaped by commerce, planners and architects and the local community.
This event is part of FACT’s Community Cinema. If you’re an artist, independent filmmaker, charity, film club, or arts organisation, find out how FACT can support your film screening.
Community Cinema events do not include adverts before the screening. Doors open 30 minutes before the screening and the programme will start promptly at the listed time. Please arrive in plenty of time to help our team ensure everyone has a great experience.
This screening takes place in The Box on the ground floor at FACT and is fully wheelchair accessible. We can accommodate up to 50 wheelchair users for this event. If you are a wheelchair user, please let us know when booking your ticket so we can ensure the space is set up appropriately.
If you have any accessibility requirements, please inform us by emailing events@fact.co.uk.
You can also find information about FACT’s accessibility on our website here: Accessibility or use our Visual Story to prepare for your visit.
Free tickets for CEA or Nimbus Card holders are available from the FACT Welcome Desk or on the door at the time of the event. One free ticket per card holder.
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