Kahn believes that light is the giver of all presences; by will; by law. Silence, in contrast, is lightless, darkless; a desire to be, to express. And the threshold where these 2 meet is described by him as the feelings of beginning, inspiration, sanctuary of art and treasury of shadow.

This philosophy extends to his belief that all existence has its origins in the phase prior to its existence in light, namely silence as expression of being without material properties. Only light gives a space its specific qualities, and this light defines space. Hence, in his designs, he gives light its own spaces, be it as light wells for nuanced directed light or in a marked transition zone from outside to inside.

Kimbell Art Museum is often described as "Kahn’s offering to light" because it manages to surpass most of his other works pertaining to light as an integral part of the structure. Few buildings have such quality of light, such beauty of changing light. Personally, I feel that it is only here that he has successfully allowed light to be given a value in and of itself such that it is made into an experienced metaphysical part of architecture ...