Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Research institute in La Jolla, United States.
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is a research facility in La Jolla, on the Pacific coast of California, consisting of two parallel concrete buildings with large glass panels. Both wings enclose an open courtyard with a narrow channel extending toward the sea, framing views over the ocean.
Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine, founded the institute in 1960 and commissioned architect Louis Kahn with the design, which was completed by 1965. The collaboration between the scientist and the architect shaped the clear, monumental form of the complex.
The name honors a researcher who made one of the greatest medical discoveries of the 20th century, and today the facility is a place where scientists from around the world work on current biological questions. The open architecture and proximity to water create a framework that allows for concentration and exchange in a special environment.
The facility sits on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, and visitors can orient themselves in the publicly accessible outdoor areas. The best time to visit is late afternoon, when light illuminates the concrete surfaces and views of the ocean become especially clear.
The central channel in the courtyard is aligned so that it marks the axis between the building and the sunset over the Pacific on the equinoxes. This detail connects the structure with the changing seasons and the daily rhythm of light and shadow.
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