Perched on the La Jolla cliffs, this state-of-the-art research facility will advance the Salk Institute’s research capacity while respecting the legacy of Louis Kahn’s modernist masterpiece.
Perched on the cliffs above La Jolla, the Salk Institute has long supported important biological research stemming from the legacy of its founder, Jonas Salk. This project marks the first substantial development at the institute in nearly two decades.
OJB was charged with integrating the expanded campus with Louis Kahn’s iconic modernist structure, celebrated for its powerful concrete forms and minimal landscape. A prominent east-west axis responds to the original runnel and maintains expansive views. Beyond, the landscape becomes more sinuous, with an immersive south garden with infrastructure to support outdoor work.
Expressive, rugged plantings create sensory delight; eucalyptus groves, coastal overlooks, and moments for respite bring serenity to the Institute’s innate sophistication. Terraces, walls, stairs, and ramps retain grade while remaining accessible and aesthetically pleasing.
”The new design borrows from Kahn's original design intent and vision and extends the simple forms into the site via axial relationism.
