Lloyd Kahn
Encyclopedia
Lloyd Kahn is the founding editor-in-chief of Shelter Publications, Inc., and is the former Shelter editor of the Whole Earth Catalog
. He is also an author, photographer, and pioneer of the green building
and green architecture movements.
. During the late 1950s, while serving in the United States Air Force in Germany, Kahn ran the USAF newspaper for two years. Returning to California in 1960 to work as an insurance broker, he suddenly quit his insurance job and began work as a carpenter, eventually building four houses.
Each project became more ambitious. His first project was a sod-roof studio in Mill Valley, with succulents planted on the roof. The second was a used-wood, timber-frame Japanese/Bernard Maybeck
-influenced design: a post-and-beam frame, with several 10 feet (3 m)-high poured concrete walls. Before these two jobs, he'd had little building experience, but quickly learned on the job. This is where he discovered the owner/builder perspective in learning to build. He tried to maintain this outlook throughout his publishing career, so he could explain building techniques to novice builders. He next got a job in Big Sur
as foreman building a large post and beam house out of bridge timbers from a dismantled bridge; the main structural members were 30' long, 8' X 22" redwood beams. He then built his own home out of used lumber and hand-split shakes in Big Sur, developed a water supply, and terraced a hillside for small-scale farming.
Influenced by Buckminster Fuller
, in 1968 he started building geodesic domes. This resulted in a job coordinating the building of 17 domes at Pacific High School, an alternative school
in the Santa Cruz mountains. Experimenting with geodesic domes made from plywood, aluminum, sprayed foam, and vinyl, children built their own domes and lived in them. Jay Baldwin built a dome covered with vinyl pillows. When Buckminster Fuller visited the school in 1970, he commissioned Baldwin to build a replica of the dome on his property in Maine. The school received media attention.
Kahn next worked for Stewart Brand
as Shelter editor for the Whole Earth Catalog
. In 1970 Kahn published his first book, Domebook One, followed the next year with Domebook 2, which sold 165,000 copies. In 1971, he bought a half-acre lot in Bolinas, California, and built a shake-covered geodesic dome (later featured in Life
magazine). After living in his dome for a year, Kahn decided domes did not work well: he stopped the printing of Domebook 2 and disassembled and sold his dome. He then went in search of other (non-dome) ways to build – across the U.S.A., Ireland, and England, and the book Shelter (1973) was the result.
During the next two decades, Shelter Publications produced a series of fitness books, including Bob Anderson's Stretching (which has sold 3 million copies and is in 31 languages), Galloway's Book on Running by Olympian Jeff Galloway
, and Getting Stronger by legendary bodybuilder Bill Pearl
. More recently, Shelter produced StretchWare, software that reminds you to stretch at your computer.
In 2004, Kahn published Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter. Home Work summarizes the best of his work over the past 30 years photographing buildings and interviewing builders, and includes numerous buildings directly inspired by the book Shelter. The Septic Systems Owner's Manual, first published in 2000, was extensively revised in 2007. In 2008 Shelter Publications published the first English translation of Brazilian architect Johan van Lengen's The Barefoot Architect: A Manual on Green Building. Also in 2008, Kahn authored Builders of the Pacific Coast. Kahn is currently working on a photo book about tiny houses, titled Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter due to be published Fall 2011.
In keeping with his fitness theme, Kahn, at the age of 75, continues to surf, skateboard (longboard
) and run (the Dipsea Race
) competitively. He lives and works in Bolinas, a small town on the Pacific coast north of San Francisco, California.
Whole Earth Catalog
The Whole Earth Catalog was an American counterculture catalog published by Stewart Brand between 1968 and 1972, and occasionally thereafter, until 1998...
. He is also an author, photographer, and pioneer of the green building
Green building
Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition...
and green architecture movements.
Life and Literary Career
Lloyd Kahn (born April 27, 1935) has a BA from Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. During the late 1950s, while serving in the United States Air Force in Germany, Kahn ran the USAF newspaper for two years. Returning to California in 1960 to work as an insurance broker, he suddenly quit his insurance job and began work as a carpenter, eventually building four houses.
Each project became more ambitious. His first project was a sod-roof studio in Mill Valley, with succulents planted on the roof. The second was a used-wood, timber-frame Japanese/Bernard Maybeck
Bernard Maybeck
Bernard Ralph Maybeck was a architect in the Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 20th century. He was a professor at University of California, Berkeley...
-influenced design: a post-and-beam frame, with several 10 feet (3 m)-high poured concrete walls. Before these two jobs, he'd had little building experience, but quickly learned on the job. This is where he discovered the owner/builder perspective in learning to build. He tried to maintain this outlook throughout his publishing career, so he could explain building techniques to novice builders. He next got a job in Big Sur
Big Sur
Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big...
as foreman building a large post and beam house out of bridge timbers from a dismantled bridge; the main structural members were 30' long, 8' X 22" redwood beams. He then built his own home out of used lumber and hand-split shakes in Big Sur, developed a water supply, and terraced a hillside for small-scale farming.
Influenced by Buckminster Fuller
Buckminster Fuller
Richard Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller was an American systems theorist, author, designer, inventor, futurist and second president of Mensa International, the high IQ society....
, in 1968 he started building geodesic domes. This resulted in a job coordinating the building of 17 domes at Pacific High School, an alternative school
Alternative school
Alternative school is the name used in some parts of the world to describe an institution which provides part of alternative education. It is an educational establishment with a curriculum and methods that are nontraditional...
in the Santa Cruz mountains. Experimenting with geodesic domes made from plywood, aluminum, sprayed foam, and vinyl, children built their own domes and lived in them. Jay Baldwin built a dome covered with vinyl pillows. When Buckminster Fuller visited the school in 1970, he commissioned Baldwin to build a replica of the dome on his property in Maine. The school received media attention.
Kahn next worked for Stewart Brand
Stewart Brand
Stewart Brand is an American writer, best known as editor of the Whole Earth Catalog. He founded a number of organizations including The WELL, the Global Business Network, and the Long Now Foundation...
as Shelter editor for the Whole Earth Catalog
Whole Earth Catalog
The Whole Earth Catalog was an American counterculture catalog published by Stewart Brand between 1968 and 1972, and occasionally thereafter, until 1998...
. In 1970 Kahn published his first book, Domebook One, followed the next year with Domebook 2, which sold 165,000 copies. In 1971, he bought a half-acre lot in Bolinas, California, and built a shake-covered geodesic dome (later featured in Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine). After living in his dome for a year, Kahn decided domes did not work well: he stopped the printing of Domebook 2 and disassembled and sold his dome. He then went in search of other (non-dome) ways to build – across the U.S.A., Ireland, and England, and the book Shelter (1973) was the result.
During the next two decades, Shelter Publications produced a series of fitness books, including Bob Anderson's Stretching (which has sold 3 million copies and is in 31 languages), Galloway's Book on Running by Olympian Jeff Galloway
Jeff Galloway
Jeff Galloway is a former American Olympian and the author of Galloway's Book on Running....
, and Getting Stronger by legendary bodybuilder Bill Pearl
Bill Pearl
William Arnold "Bill" Pearl is an American former bodybuilder during the 1950s and '60s. He won many titles and awards, including winning the Mr. Universe contest five times, and was named "World’s Best-Built Man of the Century." He became an expert trainer and author on bodybuilding.- Biography...
. More recently, Shelter produced StretchWare, software that reminds you to stretch at your computer.
In 2004, Kahn published Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter. Home Work summarizes the best of his work over the past 30 years photographing buildings and interviewing builders, and includes numerous buildings directly inspired by the book Shelter. The Septic Systems Owner's Manual, first published in 2000, was extensively revised in 2007. In 2008 Shelter Publications published the first English translation of Brazilian architect Johan van Lengen's The Barefoot Architect: A Manual on Green Building. Also in 2008, Kahn authored Builders of the Pacific Coast. Kahn is currently working on a photo book about tiny houses, titled Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter due to be published Fall 2011.
In keeping with his fitness theme, Kahn, at the age of 75, continues to surf, skateboard (longboard
Longboard (skateboard)
A longboard is a surfing variant of a skateboard, similar and related to a surfboard or snowboard with wheels. It is used for cruising, downhill racing, slalom racing, sliding, and/or transport. However, most stunts, and the boards themselves are very different from that of a typical skateboard...
) and run (the Dipsea Race
Dipsea Race
The Dipsea Race is the oldest cross-country trail running event—and one of the oldest foot races of any kind—in the United States. The 7.5 mile long Dipsea Race has been held annually almost every year since 1905, starting in Mill Valley, and finishing at Stinson Beach, in Marin County,...
) competitively. He lives and works in Bolinas, a small town on the Pacific coast north of San Francisco, California.
Books
- Domebook One (author, 1970)
- Domebook 2 (author, 1971)
- Shelter (editor, 1973)
- Stretching (publisher, 1980)
- Galloway's Book on Running (publisher, 1984)
- Getting Stronger (publisher, 1985)
- Getting in Shape (publisher, 1995)
- The Septic System Owner's Manual (author, 2000)
- Marathon: You Can Do It! (publisher, 2001)
- Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter (author, 2004)
- Builders of the Pacific Coast (author, 2008)