Salk Institute – La Jolla, CA
Photographed 2017
Photographed 2017
Designed by Louis Kahn and completed in 1965, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies is widely considered one of the most important works of modern architecture. Set on a coastal bluff in La Jolla, the complex is defined by its monolithic concrete forms, rigorous symmetry, and the now-iconic central courtyard bisected by a single channel of water—a gesture toward the ocean and to time itself.
Architect: Louis Kahn
Completed: 1965
Design Inspiration: Monastic serenity, science as contemplation, and the sacred role of light
Awards: Numerous AIA honors; designated a Historic-Cultural Landmark
This visit marked my first time meeting in person with a group of fellow Minnesota-based architectural photographers I’d connected with online: Pete Sieger, Pete Vondelinde, Morgan Sheff, and Chris Hudson, editor of Architecture MN. We came together to study Kahn’s masterpiece through our collective passion for architectural photography - a shared pursuit of form, light, and reverence.
My photographs from that day focus on balance, materiality, and the quiet monumentality of the space, a tribute to Kahn’s lifelong exploration of architecture as a vessel for light and purpose.
© 2017 JC Buck
