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Salk Institute – Louis Kahn

Salk Institute – Louis Kahn

2024

Commissioned by Jonas Salk, the Salk Institute is a masterwork of modern architecture that merges scientific purpose with poetic form. Salk challenged Louis Kahn to design a place “worthy of a visit by Picasso,” resulting in a timeless complex perched above the Pacific Ocean.

The design features two symmetrical laboratory wings framing a central travertine courtyard, bisected by a narrow water channel that draws the eye to the sea. Built from raw concrete, teak, and stone, the institute exemplifies Kahn’s reverence for material, light, and geometric clarity.

More than a monument, the building continues to serve as a dynamic research facility—embodying both architectural gravitas and enduring adaptability.

Part of the Office of Good Intentions. Human(s) Work

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Tags:

  • California,
  • concrete,
  • laboratory,
  • Louis Kahn,
  • preservation,
  • Research institute,
  • Salk Institute,
  • San Diego,
  • and United States of America

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Iwan Baan Photography, Rozenstraat 145, 1016 NP Amsterdam, The Netherlands, e-mail: studio@iwan.com — all images © Iwan Baan 1996 - 2025