Unlike the extrinsic Modern Functionalist, Louis I. Kahn, a modern American architect, had been pursued intrinsic architectural nature based on historicity; The Essence of Architecture, during his lifetime. That is the reason why he is generally called as one of frontiers toward Post-Modern Architecture. However, the actual meaning of his ‘The Essence of Architecture’ is so vague and unclear until today, because not only his complex personal thought and career but various and subjective interpretation by so many later architects and architectural theorists. In the context, this paper attempt to reanalyze and clarify Kahn's idea of ‘The Essence of Architecture’ with the deep and objective view of aesthetics focused on a distinguished contemporary German philosopher, N. Hartman’s idea of phenomenological relation and the stratified structure of a work of art.

Louis I. Kahn is cleary one of 20th century great architects. The character of his philosophy of architecture can be condensed as simple words; Architectural Essence, because the very nature of his work based on historicity is so fundamental. Some contemporary architects and architectural critics regard it as a symbol of Post-Modern Architecture era expressing relative multiplicity or an expression of Heideggerian existentialism, but others do as the attribute of fundamentalist like absolute Plato's Idea. Comparing the former, studies of the latter theme have been executed superficially and somewhat biasedly for last decades. In the context, this paper attempt to reanalyze Kahn's idea of ‘Architectural Essence’ with the deep view of Platonist focused on the concept of binary opposition and causality.

It seems obvious to the contemporary eye that modern technology has finally brought chaotic abundance to the present world, and provided a superficial civilization over the last century. Nevertheless, such an argument about the external phenomena of present culture does not help constitute the right track of modern technology and architecture. Rather, this discussion comes to re-signify the importance of critical metaphysics as a part of man's cultural activities, especially the ontological meaning of them. In this point, the research is intended both to re-certify the essential nature and mythic value of technology through reviewing the ancient and modern philosophical contemplations, and to examine its architectural condition against the rapid expansion of commercial material-culture.