Salk Institute

Louis Kahn – Institute for Biological Studies, California USA, 1959-1965

Il Salk Institute for Biological Studies is one of the most prestigious scientific research institutes in the biomedical field in the world. It is located in La Jolla, California on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Commissioned in 1959 by scientist Jonas Salk to architect Louis I. Kahn, the building benefits from a suggestive positioning on a cliff lapped by the ocean, on which Kahn built one of the most important buildings of the twentieth century.
The institute boasts a large internal courtyard that evokes the majesty of a cathedral, a courtyard that Kahn had initially thought of as being lined with trees, but then, on the advice of Mexican architect Luis Barragán, he designed it bare, covered in travertine, cut lengthwise by a thin channel of water that crosses the courtyard and flows into a series of pools below. A good choice because it evokes in the visitor a feeling of absolute, timeless space, very fascinating for anyone who chooses to linger in complete tranquility in this space.
The proportions of the outer courtyard – its horizontality contrasting with the verticality of the adjacent Study Towers – create a balance that could be described as timeless. The Study Towers rise symmetrically on either side of the courtyard, with walls at 45° angles that offer spectacular views. 
Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salk_Institute_for_Biological_Studies