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Steve - Yes, what a great question to ask. That each material has a propensity for certain constructs is something we should never forget. There is perhaps another meaning to that particular sentence and it begins with a similar question - What knowledge does the brick have? A slightly more nuanced understanding is born not out of economic or utilitarian use but rather out of the symbolism of the brick, as it exists in the image of man - made with fire, scaled to the human hand, collected/stacked/layered, portioned cubes of earth. Kahn's incredible legacy of brick is one reason he is called 'the architect's architect'.
Let me digress by noting what I think is perhaps Kahn's greatest contribution to modernism. Talking about his own design methodology he says "I always start with the square. Then I look for that which can disprove it."