Jonas Salk commissioned the renowned Philadelphia architect Louis I Kahn to design his new Institute for Biological Studies in 1959. Together they collaborated and designed a facility uniquely suited to scientific research. This competition invites architecture students to imagine the next chapter in the life of one of America's architectural treasures, which was designated a Historic Landmark in 1991. This challenge asks designers how the preservation of these extraordinary buildings can provoke a profound rethinking of our current conventions about composition, construction, and building performance. The aim is to envision a new type of facility that would be unimaginable without the existing structures.
"Materials used are concrete, wood, marble and water. Concrete is left with exposed joints and form work markings. Teak and glass infill in the office and common room walls... The laboratories may be characterized as the architecture of air cleanliness and area adjustability. The architecture of the oak table and the rug is that of the studies."
Louis I. Kahn. from Heinz Ronner, with Sharad Jhaveri and Alessandro Vasella Louis I. Kahn: Complete Works 1935-74. p164.165.
The Challenge
The Salk Institute has been a highly successful research facility, but the changing landscape of science requires an evolution of the campus; along with respect of the architectural and historic integrity of the site.
Competition Schedule
05 December 2008: Registration Begins, online (there is no fee for registration)
09 February 2009: Registrations Deadline
17 June 2009: Submission Deadline
June 2009: Prize winners chosen by the design jury
Summer/Fall 2009: Competition Summary Publication
Awards
Winning students and their faculty sponsors will receive cash prizes totaling $10,000. The design jury will meet in June 2009 to select winning projects and honorable mentions. Winners and their faculty sponsors will be notified of the competition results directly. A list of winning projects will be posted on the ACSA web site at www.acsa arch.org/competitions.
First Prize
Student:3.500 Dollars
Faculty sponsor: 1.500 Dollars
Second Prize
Student:2.250 Dollars
Faculty sponsor: 750 Dollars
Third Prize
Student:1.500 Dollars
Faculty sponsor: 500 Dollars
A limited number of honorable mentions may also be awarded at the jury's discretion. Winners and their faculty sponsors will be notified of the competition results directly. A list of winning projects will be posted on the ACSA web site at www.acsa-arch.org.
Prize winning submissions will be exhibited at the 2010 ACSA Annual Meeting and the 2010 AIA National Convention as well as published in a competition summary catalog.