Completed in 1989, the Beckman Institute—funded by a gift from Arnold and Mabel Beckman—was designed as a center for integrated research in the chemical and biological sciences. As the first building of the new Master Plan, the Beckman Institute set the tone for the north campus area, with Los Angeles architects Albert C. Martin and Associates taking much of their inspiration from the original campus buildings by Bartram Goodhue and Gordon Kaufmann. Decorative details such as acanthus leaves, scallop shapes, and the large stylized shell at the center of the building directly recall the early campus architecture. The central courtyard—designed for relaxation and chance encounters—also brings to mind those of Kaufmann's dormitories. Caltech's symbol, the torch of knowledge, tops pediments (similar to those over the entrance to Fleming House) marking stairwells in the north and south wings.