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Jerome L. Greene Science Center (Martimer B.Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute)

New York / USA

Luminous, light, and transparent, like the “Crystal Palace,” the Jerome L. Greene Science Center is dedicated to natural light and scientific research.

By situating the scientific functions above the ground level, the building can meet the city with a highly transparent, permeable, and active ground floor called the Urban Layer, which is open to the public and the larger University community and continuous across the entire campus. Together with outreach programs operating with support from the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute like the Wellness Center and the Education Lab, the Synapse—an interactive installation where the public can learn about the brain research being conducted in the building—in the main lobby on the ground floor of the building encourages public engagement with the research conducted in the building. The East-West lobby space also connects Broadway to the east with the Small Square to the west. Publicly accessible retail and restaurant facilities complete the Urban Layer, which activates and enhance the pedestrian experience, creating complexity, balance, and a sense of inclusion. Directly above the Urban Layer, the massive and opaque second floor houses mechanical spaces. On the research levels above the second floor, however, the building again becomes light and transparent, providing space for people to work, research, and collaborate around the perimeter of the building, where they can take advantage of the daylight. Support spaces not requiring daylight are located in the center of the building.

a group of people are walking under a bridge in a city .
© Nic Lehoux
 

Two intersecting axes articulate the building’s 40,000 sq. ft. floorplate into four quadrants—on the research levels, the North-South axis is mainly dedicated to circulation and includes the elevator lobby, while the East-West axis is an active area that includes meeting rooms and break spaces on each floor and a 120-seat lecture space at the top floor. These spaces encourage collaboration among the scientists by interspersing circulation, connecting stairs, double-height spaces, and a variety of scales of meeting rooms and other interaction spaces with the research and support spaces.

Staggered roof levels further articulate the building’s volume at the top of the building, where there are two accessible terraces overlooking the city and the Hudson River. Like a factory, exposed machines located on the rooftop reflect the building’s complex (and beautiful) mechanical infrastructure.

a computer generated image of a building with lots of pipes
© RPBW
Clb__675
© David Ng and Nikos Balaskas
an aerial view of a large building in the middle of a city .
© Nic Lehoux
a drawing of a building with a factory in the background .
© RPBW
a man is standing on a bridge over train tracks in front of a large building .
© Nic Lehoux
 

 
 

The building’s architectural vocabulary of exposed steel structure and articulated details establishes a dialogue with the “DNA” of the site - the steel structure of the adjacent subway viaduct and the industrial history of the surrounding area.

Designed with science, for science, the building’s envelope subtly and innovatively addresses the building’s relationship to its surrounding environmental context in a sustainable way. The actively ventilated double-skin façade of low-iron glass and the motorized shades mitigate the acoustic concerns from the adjacent subway, and further contribute to occupant comfort by creating a thermal buffer at the exterior of the building. Additionally, daylight harvesting allows a reduction in the use of artificial lights.

 
a building section looking north showing the inside of a building .
© RPBW
a large room with tables and chairs and stairs
© RPBW
two women are working in a lab with a lot of windows .
© RPBW
a woman is sitting at a table in a conference room .
© Nic Lehoux
a group of people are sitting at tables in a room with lots of windows
© Nic Lehoux

Project Details

Status

2007 - 2016

Client

Columbia University

Design

Renzo Piano Building Workshop

in collaboration with Davis Brody Bond LLP (New York - Executive Architect) and Body-Lawson Associates (New York - Associate Architect), architects

Design Team

A.Chaaya (partner in charge), S.Drouin (associate), K.Doerr (associate), R.Tse with L.Coreth, E.Garnaoui, C.Ruiz and W.Antozzi, F.Becchi, A.Belvedere (partner), M.Busk-Petersen, E.Chassang, P.Colonna, N.Delevaux, A.Fritzlar, C.Issanchou, B.Malbaux, A.Saoud, T.Zamfirescu, J.Lim, K.Songkittipakdee, R.Subramanian; O.Aubert, C.Colson, Y.Kyrkos (models)

Consultants

WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff (structure); Jaros, Baum & Bolles (MEP); Atelier Ten (sustainability); Jacobs Consultancy (laboratory consultant); VDA (vertical transportation); Arup (lighting), Mueser Rutledge (geotechnical engineering); James Corner Field Operations (landscape architect); IBA (façade); Davis Langdon (cost consultant); Stantec (civil engineer); Sam Schwartz Engineering (transportation engineer); Aggleton & Associates (security); WJE Engineers & Architects (waterproofing); Shen Milsom & Wilke, Inc. (acoustics & vibration); SEA Consulting Inc. (material handling); Pentagram (graphics consultant)

Environmental Certifications

LEED Gold Certification (2017)

Columbia Manhattanville Development Team

R.Kasdin (SEVP), J.Ienuso (EVP), D.Greenberg (EVP), P.Pitruzzello (SVP), M.Velez (VP), F.Gong (AVP), W.Elmes (AVP), M.Fletcher (AVP), S.Neissen (Director), D.Cole (Director), D.Talley (Director), G.Brown, J.Sugaste (Director), J.Morel, L.Huynh, G.Duque, C.Ng, R.Akovity, G.Benjamin, M.Gandhi, T.Williams, G.Wiener (AVP), J.Maffia, D.Faren, D.Faren, A.Collazo

AOR Team

W.Paxson (Partner), J.M.Bond (Partner), D.Williams (Partner), J.Grant (Associate Partner), J.Henle (Associate Partner), E.Sparling (Associate Partner), J.Navarro (Sr. Associate), R.Gavilanes (Sr. Associate), J.Harrigan (Sr. Associates), N.Kershner (Sr. Associate), O.Sippl (Sr. Associate), A.Yu (Sr. Associate), D.Zhoung (Sr. Associate), J.Boon-Bordenave, E.Bramwell, C.Brown, M.Cardona, H.Y.Chan, R.De Villa, B.Dole, J.Fukutomi, F.Gillis, T.Holland, B.Johnson, R.Kelly, M.Massay, C.Mattern, M.McConnell, A.McGee, V.Mitchell, D.Nicoulin, C.Paxson, V. Ross, M.Samara, J.Santos, M.Sarac, S.Traynor, G.Weiner

Associate Architect Team

V.Body-Lawson (Partner), A.Walker (Associate), A.Gladden, O.Prinzivalli

Awards

ENR New York Best Projects, Best Higher Education/Research Project (2017)