Britannica –
“Born March 21, 1869; died Dec. 8, 1942.
An industrial architect and planner known for his designs of American automobile factories. In his time he was considered the world’s foremost industrial architect and the “father of modern factory design.”
Kahn’s father, a rabbi, brought his family to the United States in 1881. Kahn had little schooling but was taken on as a student by George D. Mason, a leading Michigan architect. Following this apprenticeship, Kahn traveled for a year in Europe on a scholarship won in a competition sponsored by American Architect magazine. After working with various Detroit architects, Kahn established his own firm (1902), which developed into one of the largest in architectural history. In 1904 he was given his first commission for an auto factory by the Packard Motor Car Company.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica Online (accessed January 9, 2009)