The Salk Institute :: essays papers

The Salk InstituteDr. Jonas Salk commissioned Louis Kahn to design the Salk Institute of Biological interrogation near La Jolla, California. Salk believes that medical research should not be confine to science alone. In response to Salks view, Kahn saw the possibility of uniting blind and architecture with the functional aspect of the design. He agrees with Salk that someone with a opinion in art, like himself, could contribute in creating a mental surroundings of scientific research. Kahns pursue of this vision is apparent in his design process.The earlier massing strategy was to place a linear group of perpendicular towers mate to the face of the cliff (diagram 1a). In the second version, a year later, the towers were replaced by four rectilinear, two-storey blocks set perpendicular to the sea (diagram 1b). In this version, the four blocks of laboratories were do up of have span spaces, made possible by five-spot box girders running across to each one rectangle, wit h a V-shaped folded plate transcription perpendicular to the girders, spanning between them. Later, Kahn simplified the configuration of the laboratories, from four rectangular blocks to two, upon Salks quest (diagram 1c).In the process, Kahn kept he basic idea of the scheme, which was to place scientists studies by from the laboratories in the central garden and to place auxiliary spaces in vertical towers on their external walls. However, he increased the number of floors to three, including the basement, and replaced the V-shaped folded plates above each of the three floors with concrete Vierendeel beams. Stringent seismic criteria related to construction in the San Diego area made it difficult for Kahns structural engineer to convince local building officials, who wanted him to use steel frame, that concrete, Vierendeel truss system would withdraw the required flexibility. They agreed only after a 400 knave report of undoubtedly integrated deflection computations that s hows how post-tensioned columns would provide the main vindication to lateral seismic forces. These columns absorb both dead and live bear down compression plus vertical post-tensioning forces. They were also designed to maintain null tension if subjected to lateral movements by earthquake. The trusses are 9 ft deep, put 20 ft on center and have a clear span of 65 ft (diagram 2). He made use of the 9 ft high resultant space as service area, allowing yell chases to be dropped to the 65x 245 ft floor below with more latitude than before.